Pakistan’s former cricket captain, Shahid Afridi, has said he forbids his daughters from playing the sport, or any other outdoor games.
Afridi on Friday faced criticism for his stance, but in his new memoir described himself as a conservative Pakistani father who had made the decision for “social and religious reasons”.
“Feminists can say whatever they want about my decision,” he wrote.
The all rounder said while his daughters were good at sport, they would not play in public.
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“They have my permission to play any sport, as long as they’re indoors,” he wrote in Game Changer published last week. “Cricket? No, not for my girls. They have permission to play all the indoor games they want, but my daughters are not going to be competing in public sporting activities.”
Reuters
The 44-year-old all rounder, who earned the moniker “boom boom” for his aggressive batting style, was criticised for his decision.
“Shahid Afridi is no better than a typical middle-aged average Pakistani guy, who wouldn’t mind hanging out with someone else’s daughters but would balk if his own did the same,” said one commentator on Twitter.
“Terrible to restrict your daughters from making their own choices, but also disrespectful to our amazing women’s cricket team who has done Pakistan proud globally,” said another.
Afridi until earlier this year held the record for the most sixes hit in international cricket. He still holds the record for sixes struck in one day internationals.
Pakistan’s women’s team is currently placed seventh in the ICC’s one day international rankings and is touring South Africa, where they stand tied one-all with the hosts.
His book also reveals he was aged 19 when he blasted onto the world stage with a record-breaking 37-ball century against Sri Lanka in 1996 and not 16 as authorities at the time said.