Pakistan cricket superstar and former captain Shahid Afridi has revealed how his father allowed him to pursue his passion for cricket, albeit being a strong critic in the beginning. "When I first started playing cricket, things were a bit difficult for me. My father was against my playing cricket and I was scolded and beaten quite a lot," he said, in a video message on social media. However, this changed when his father read about his first stellar performance in an under-16 tournament, where he was praised by a news reporter after taking five wickets in the match. "My father saw my photo and read the praise written about me. I saw the look of joy on my father's face and was comforted knowing that my family will finally support my dream to play cricket. I realised this was the time to prove myself. It was a big change in my life," added Afridi. When my father read about my first star performance in U-16 I realised I was #MoreThanMyMarks. Thanks @ZindagiTrust for taking me back - follow #MoreThanMyMarks for more stories of young Pakistanis pursuing their passions! pic.twitter.com/oh95yRrTVm — Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) 5 April 2019 And that was a beginning of one of the most storied cricketing careers, as Afridi became one of the leading names of the game, known for his aggressive hitting and wicket-taking ability.