Who is a better captain Imran Khan or Misbah, Afridi tells media

KARACHI - Former captain and star all-rounder Shahid Afridi on Saturday said that Imran Khan was the best Pakistani captain but Misbahul Haq led the Test team well in difficult times.

However, the famous all-rounder weighted his support in Misbah’s favour while commenting on comparison who is better captain between Imran Khan and Misbahul Haq. The 36-yaer-old said this while speaking at an event hosted by Sports Journalists Association in Karachi.

“Misbah, in Test matches, has turned the table and has led the team out of a difficult situation with his performance,” the flamboyant all-rounder maintained.

The statement comes days after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shahryar Khan stirred a controversy by saying that Misbah was a better captain than Imran Khan.

"I said this on the basis of cricket. I have no political affiliation. I respect him as a player. I am not in politics. This is on the basis of statistics," Shahryar had said.

“Imran bhai was a great captain, he has his own place, but he had the support of match winners with him like Miandad and Wasim Akram,” Afridi added.

On the occasion, he lambasted Sindh government for refusing to lend him land for starting a cricket academy.

Afridi told media that he had requested the Sindh government to allow him a land in Karachi where he can start a cricket academy, but the government refused to help him.

“I had requested the Sindh government to lend me the land where I would have constructed a cricket academy to train aspiring cricketers, but they told me that they are unable to help me,” Afridi said.

“It is very unfortunate and regrettable. I think things here would have been much better if Benazir Bhutto was alive today,” added the flamboyant all-rounder.

Afridi added that PCB should benefit from the experiences of Misbah and Younis after the retirement of the experienced duo.

“They are not the people who have wasted time in air-conditioned rooms, they have worked at grass roots and know our cricket structure inside out, PCB should utilise their experience for the betterment of Pakistan cricket,” he added.