Cricket more business than sport: Afridi by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	Shahid Afridi
Event:	ICC World Twenty20 2009

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DateLine: 24th June 2009

 

Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi says the short gap between the just-completed Twenty20 World Cup and next year's edition has robbed Pakistan of full enjoyment of its triumph.

 

Just days after Pakistan clinched the 2009 trophy in England, thoughts had already turned to the 2010 event in the West Indies, beginning in April.

 

"I fail to understand why the next World Cup will be played in nine months time," Afridi told reporters on Wednesday.

 

"If it's being organized after two years, people would have remembered Pakistan's victory and it would have been more enjoyable.

 

"It should have been scheduled a bit later, but cricket is no more a sport, it's becoming a business everywhere."

 

Pakistan owed its World Cup victory to Afridi's brilliant all-round performance - especially his back to back half centuries in the semifinal and the final.

 

He also tied up the world's best batsmen with his quick leg-spinners, and got the key wickets of South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs and AB de Villiers in the semifinal.

 

"We all know how important this World Cup was with so much happening in Pakistan," Afridi said.

 

"The guys motivated themselves for this World Cup." Hundreds of Afridi's fans chanted "Boom Boom Afridi" as he arrived at the Karachi Airport with teammates Shoaib Malik and Fawad Alam. Afridi gave credit to coach Intikhab Alam, bowling coach Aaqib Javed and captain Younis Khan for the victory.

 

Alam was the coach of Pakistan team which won the 50-over-a-side World Cup in Australia in 1992.

 

"They all really worked hard with the guys and kept them united and close to each other, that's why we had success," Afridi said.