[PICTURES #14] Army Chief Raheel Sharif inaugurates Shahid Afridi Cricket Ground

[SL_Fan]

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Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif will inaugurate “ Shahid Afridi Cricket Ground in Khyber agency today.

Cricketer Shahid Afridi will reach Pakistan from Bangladesh to participate in this inauguration ceremony.

Shahid Afridi will attend the inauguration ceremony of the ground on the invitation of Army Chief Raheel Sharif .

The cricket ground in the name of “Shahid Afridi” has been set up by Pakistan army in Khyber Agency in recognition of commendable services rendered by him in the field of cricket .

It is pertinent to mention here that some days before, “Younis khan cricket stadium” was also inaugurated by General Raheel Sharif.

 

[Nil Dhumrojal]

How on earth a cricket ground can be named by shahid afridi if it's not his father's property !!!??

 

[Indiafan]

How on earth a cricket ground can be named by shahid afridi if it's not his father's property !!!??

Well the article is clear, its an honor given to Afridi

The cricket ground in the name of “Shahid Afridi” has been set up by Pakistan army in Khyber Agency in recognition of commendable services rendered by him in the field of cricket

 

[Gabbar Singh]

We see this a lot more now - before legends would get a stand named after them. Now players like Darren Sammy get a whole stadium named after them.

Then again the most famous of them all, Lords, is named after a pretty average cricketer.

Congrats to Afridi.

 

[Convict]

There is nothing wrong with naming stadiums after former cricket players, especially those who captained their country.

In fact it is pretty good and better than all the stadiums named after politicians or with some sponsored name.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Just happy to see grounds being built. Could care less about the names.

 

[munda_khi]

THis is just stupid.

Ridiculous stuff by the Army. Hopefully this stadium will come under PCB and its name will be changed, or else this is ridiculous.

Mediocre players getting grounds in their names is just ridiculous.

Forget Afridi's international career, he is not even a proper sports role model. He skips first class cricket all the time

At least Sammy has two world cups to show

 

[JaDed]

There is nothing wrong with naming stadiums after former cricket players, especially those who captained their country.

In fact it is pretty good and better than all the stadiums named after politicians or with some sponsored name.

Very true, happens in India ,politicians or cricket administrators.

 

[angrypathan]

I assume that it's not exactly an international standard stadium, probably not too different to Allan Border Oval in Sydney, don't see why posters above are making a big deal out of it.

 

[Slog]

There is nothing wrong with naming stadiums after former cricket players, especially those who captained their country.

In fact it is pretty good and better than all the stadiums named after politicians or with some sponsored name.

People dont realize the impact of Afridi in this aspect

A whole generation of Pukhtun/Pathan kids in KPK province of Pakistan, Afghanistan and even Karachi took up cricket because of Afridi. 20 years ago Pukhtun represenation in cricket was negligible. Afridi opened the way and made cricket mainstream there. In Karachi itself for eg if you took a sample of the ethnic breakup of domestic and club cricketers in the city you would find that Pathan represenation was negligible. Now they are prolly the second highest group of cricketers in the city. Jarrod Kimber wrote an interesting article reg Afridi and Afghan team

And considering this stadium is in the heart of Khyber Agency it is fitting that a stadium is named after Afridi.

Afridi has many faults but here people are being harsh. This is well deserved
[MENTION=135038]Major[/MENTION] [MENTION=7898]Gabbar Singh[/MENTION] [MENTION=3327]Indiafan[/MENTION]

 

[JattMaula]

Hater gonna hate but people who matter appreciate the Boom-Boom.

 

[MenInG]

President Peshawar Zalmi Shahid Afridi and COAS Gen. Raheel Sharif inaugurate the Shahid Afridi Stadium in Khyber Agency.







Pictures courtesy of Peshawar Zalmi Media





Courtesy of ISPR

 

[moghul]

Two stadium in FATA, named after Younis Khan and Afridi, both cricketers totally deserve the honor. Well done Pak army.

The area has great potential and believe me, we will see many talented cricketers, particularly fast bowlers emerging from there, really happy to see this development.

This the best strategy to fight against terrorism, sports and even far more important, EDUCATION.

 

[moghul]

People dont realize the impact of Afridi in this aspect

A whole generation of Pukhtun/Pathan kids in KPK province of Pakistan, Afghanistan and even Karachi took up cricket because of Afridi. 20 years ago Pukhtun represenation in cricket was negligible. Afridi opened the way and made cricket mainstream there. In Karachi itself for eg if you took a sample of the ethnic breakup of domestic and club cricketers in the city you would find that Pathan represenation was negligible. Now they are prolly the second highest group of cricketers in the city. Jarrod Kimber wrote an interesting article reg Afridi and Afghan team

And considering this stadium is in the heart of Khyber Agency it is fitting that a stadium is named after Afridi.

Afridi has many faults but here people are being harsh. This is well deserved
[MENTION=135038]Major[/MENTION] [MENTION=7898]Gabbar Singh[/MENTION] [MENTION=3327]Indiafan[/MENTION]

Agree 100%, one can disagree with Afridi's style on technical ground but his influence on Pakistan cricket , particularly in FATA area is second to none, probably with the exception of Imran Khan. Totally deserves the honor.

 

[moghul]

Afridi too should have been wearing that turban, love the local tradition, culture and style.

 

[waleed88]

I don't care what Afridi's stature as a player is, fact is he is dearly loved in Pakistan, from the most ordinary person to the powerful man in this country.. Also if you listen to Afridi in his interviews, his unabashed and honest opinions and upfront personality is what makes him different to others.. he's a good talker, and he is a PR maverick so he has a very good personality.. He carries himself decently, and he does alot for the poor (Shahid Afridi foundation, creating hospitals and schools)

All this helps in making him one of the most loved cricketers in Pakistan history.. People forget he is a patriot, so no matter what he was as a player, this facility will help our own youngsters to develop their future cricketing skills..

Our establishment need to back more people like him, who try to give back more to the society after the reputation they have created

 

[waleed88]

Yeh, because he is an english football player who played for ENgland and is an ex manchester united player

Yeaaa but he is not even close to being the greatest ever... yet he has an immense fan following

 

[waleed88]

Considering Raheel Sharif inaugurated his cricket ground, that is indeed a VERY BIG DEAL..

This just shows how big, and how far stretched Afridi's fan following really is..

 

[moghul]

We see this a lot more now - before legends would get a stand named after them. Now players like Darren Sammy get a whole stadium named after them.

Then again the most famous of them all, Lords, is named after a pretty average cricketer.

Congrats to Afridi.

Can you tell me how many cricketers before Sammy from St Lucia played for WI and similarly how many from FATA played for Pakistan prior to Afridi. I;m not a big fan of these two, purely on cricketing basis, but they inspired the whole region they belong to, GREAT achievement, thoroughly deserve the honor.

 

[moghul]

I live here in USA, about 5-6 years ago, went to KPK and Mianwali area with a medical mission. It was unbelievable to see passion for cricket and Afridi's influence on youngsters there. Every Karyan and barber shop had Afridi's poster. When we played some cricket with local kids for fun, everyone of them wanted to become an Afridi.

 

[MRSN]

Yeh, because he is an english football player who played for ENgland and is an ex manchester united player

so? Afridi is not just a mere cricketer. Afridi defined this new brand of cricket in the 90s that is followed all over the world nowadays with T20 cricket. Afridi wasn't consistent as he should be he was good enough to keep his place all these times. Even today he can easily walk into our T20 team.

 

[AlphaFighter]

Well done and kuddos to Raheel Sharif for honoring a national hero.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">General Raheel Sharif presented Shahid Afridi with a pistol today during the inauguration ceremony of the Shahid Afridi stadium <a href="https://t.co/r29ujpcbbJ">pic.twitter.com/r29ujpcbbJ</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/801786611864399872">November 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">An honour & privilege to inaugurate stadium in Khyber Agency with COAS RaheelSharif. You are Pakistan's hero and my hero too1/2 <a href="https://t.co/nek2ADKbHm">pic.twitter.com/nek2ADKbHm</a></p>— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/801736611570532352">November 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">You are a national hero and I wish you the very best in your days ahead. May Allah Bless you more. PakistanZindabad <a href="https://t.co/P0sQEHv5BO">pic.twitter.com/P0sQEHv5BO</a></p>— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/801736939607093248">November 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[moghul]

The thing I liked most about Gen Sharif is that he could have easily named this stadium after himself, but he did not.

 

[Cricketfan no 1]

The thing I liked most about Gen Sharif is that he could have easily named this stadium after himself, but he did not.

Nope, being an army personal he can't do it.

 

[Haroon786]

This stadium hasn't been named after Afridi for his cricketing career, but rather his philanthropy in KPK and indeed he should be lauded because his charity has done wonderful work there, uplifting many people from poverty-stricken backgrounds there.

 

[MenInG]

Perhaps an important lesson for Afridi from his favourite Army Commander's conduct? Retire with izzat