Akhtar supports Afridi for his controversial claims in ‘Game Changer’

Pakistan record setting fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has come for the defense of fellow mate Shahid Afridi, who been facing the heat after his controversial autobiography ‘Game Changer’ raised some eyebrows.

“I think Shahid Afridi has written far less in his book about the harsh treatment he received from senior players during his playing days. I have witnessed some of it myself and totally agree with him,” said Akhtar, while talking to local media.

Whatever @SAfridiOfficial has written about harsh behavior from seniors, reality was much more than that. He should have said more.

Actually he should have said it 20 years ago. If he did at the right time, he wouldn't have had to write a book today. pic.twitter.com/ISpK8VqG6t

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) 9 May 2019

The statement comes after Afridi stated in his book that the then Pakistan cricket coach Javed Mianadad didn’t like him. “The tussle had started even before the series kicked off. Miandad had developed a strong opinion against me… in fact, the day before I went to bat, Miandad didn’t even give me any net practice,” Afridi wrote in his autobiography.

“So I had to practice on a stringed ball, alone, away from my teammates. That was the cloud of angst and embarrassment under which I was playing my first Test against Pakistan’s greatest rival,” Afridi further wrote.

In his autobiography, Afridi also hit out on former Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis, calling him a ‘mediocre’ captain.

“Waqar and I had a history, dating all the way back to his tiff with Wasim [Akram] over the captaincy crown. He was a mediocre captain but a terrible coach, always micromanaging and getting in the way, trying to tell the captain – me – what to do… It was a natural clash and it was bound to happen,” wrote Afridi.