Afridi hopes for fresh start

KARACHI: Former captain Shahid Afridi said Saturday he hoped to make a fresh start playing for Hampshire following his clashes with the Pakistan Cricket Board which fined him $53,000 for disciplinary breaches.

The 31-year-old locked horns with the PCB by announcing his retirement from international cricket after being dumped as one-day captain, and criticising the current management.

The PCB said Afridi violated the players' code of conduct, suspended his central contract and revoked permission for him to play abroad, preventing him from joining Hampshire in the ongoing Twenty20 league in England.

Afridi challenged the decision last week but the matter was settled out of the court following a meeting with PCB chairman Ijaz Butt in Islamabad, which followed Afridi's appearance before the disciplinary committee on Thursday.

The committee restored Afridi's no-objection certificate (NOC) to clear the way for him to play abroad but levied a heavy fine.

Afridi said he would fly to England on Tuesday with a fresh mind.

"The last 15 days were very difficult for me, but I have got the NOC to play in England and hope to put everything behind me, "Afridi told reporters in Karachi.

The hugely popular all-rounder said he hoped to perform well for Hampshire in their title defence.

"I have no training for two weeks but hopefully I will start training and then do well for the county," said Afridi, who will also feature in the inaugural Sri Lankan Premier League in July-August.

Afridi said he had decided not to appeal against the fine.

"PCB took a decision which was acceptable to me, so it's past for me now," he said.

When asked about a return to international cricket, Afridi said he would not reverse his decision.

"Whatever I said, I will not take any U-turn on that," said Afridi, who on announcing his retirement last month said he would not play international cricket under the current PCB set-up headed by Butt.

"I will play domestic cricket if I am available," he added.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011