Pakistan's Twenty/20 captain Shahid Afridi has signed to play in this season's Bangladeshi Twenty/20 competition due to be held in Sharjah.

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Pakistan's Twenty/20 captain Shahid Afridi has signed to play in this season's Bangladeshi Twenty/20 competition due to be held in Sharjah.

 

29 year old Afridi who has represented Pakistan in 27 Twenty/20 internationals and who was an integral part of Pakistan's success in the Twenty/20 World Cup in England last year, has signed for the Brothers Union Club Chittagong.

 

The Twenty/20 competition will be known as the Bashundhara Cup and organisers are looking to attract some of the world's best cricketing talent. In addition to Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Rana Naved ul Hasan have already signed up for the Bangladeshi PCL.

 

Shahid Afridi's manager Umran Khan speaking to PakPassion.net stated "Its an exciting opportunity for Shahid and he'll be playing for one of the premier Bangladeshi teams and will line up alongside Bangladesh internationals Sakib ul Hasan and Tamim Iqbal".

 

Afridi is not the only Pakistani player to represent the Brothers Union Club, as Twenty/20 specialist Imran Nazir will also be playing for the same team as Afridi in what promises to be an explosive batting line up.

 

Umran added "Shahid Afridi's in demand all over the world and its testimony to the talent that he possesses that teams from every corner of the globe are after his services. He is a huge draw wherever he plays and teams know that he will pull in the crowds and entertain the fans, as well as giving his all in every match".

 

Umran feels that the phrase freelance cricketer is an accurate reflection of Shahid Afridi. "I first heard the phrase when Andrew Flintoff was labelled a freelance cricketer last year and I think it's justifiable to say that Shahid is a freelance cricketer. He has of course signed for Hampshire for the Friends Provident Twenty/20 in England later this summer, as well as recently playing for South Australia and of course represented the Deccan Chargers in the first edition of the IPL".

 

Afridi speaking to PakPassion.net stated "I'm looking forward to playing in the Bangaldeshi Twenty/20 competition. It will be my first taste of action in this competition and I will as always give my all for my team to win this trophy".

 

Whilst Afridi is sought after by domestic teams from around the world he stressed that his number one priority remains playing for his country. "Yes playing in the Twenty/20 competitions are a good experience, but I will only play in these tournaments when I get clearance and approval from the Pakistan Cricket Board. I was supposed to play for the Nashua Dolphins in South Africa this year, but as the matches clashed with the two Twenty/20 matches in Dubai, I therefore did not play in the South African Twenty/20 Competition. However I have signed with the Dolphins to play for them in next season's Twenty/20 tournament".

 

As well as being signed up by Hampshire, The Nashua Dolphins, Deccan Chargers, South Australia and the Brothers Union Club, Afridi is due to play for an Emirates Airlines team taking part in a four team tournament in the UAE starting on March 20th and that includes South Africa's Cape Cobras, as well as English County teams Sussex and Surrey.