Lot of pressure on me that I shouldn't retire from T20: Afridi

He holds the record for playing most number of matches in T20Is (90).

He will be participating in his sixth ICC World T20, to be held in India in March.

Pakistan’s T20I skipper Shahid Afridi, who had earlier stated that he would retire from all forms the game after the marquee event in March, hinted at reconsidering his decision.

After retiring from ODIs following the 2015 World Cup, he continues to lead Pakistan in the shortest format of the game. The all-rounder said he is under "a lot of pressure" from family, friends and elders who believe "there is no need to retire from T20s".

"For a while now there is a lot of pressure from my family, a lot of pressure from my friends, including my elders, who say there is no need for me to retire from T20. That is a huge pressure. For now, in truth, I am focusing only on the World Cup. That is a huge challenge for me,” Afridi told ESPNcricinfo.

Afridi, who has featured in all the World T20 editions held so far, said he wants to see how things shape up in the tournament and accordingly take a call on his future. 

"First I want to see where Pakistan stand in the World Cup, whether I am capable of taking the team forward on the back of my performances.

"I want to check where I am standing myself. As far as playing goes, my fitness is zabardast (awesome). Energy is also there. I can play cricket. But I would be able to tell things clearly after the World Twenty20,” the 35-year-old said.

Afridi, who has played 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 90 Twenty20 Internationals for Pakistan, said he is under high pressure to continue playing cricket as "there is no real talent coming through Pakistan".

"There is a lot of pressure on me that I shouldn’t retire from T20. That I can play on, and as such there is no real talent coming through in Pakistan whose place I am taking," Afridi was quoted as saying.

The World T20 kicks-off on March 8 with the qualifying round for the associate teams, while the Super 10 round commences on March 16.

Image: Pakistan's T20I skipper Shahid Afridi.

Photograph: PTI