‘Mera dil chaah raha hai main idhar patch bana du‘ - Shahid Afridi recalls tampering incident in 2005

England and Pakistan are currently playing a seven-match T20I series and the first T20I had gone in the favour of the visitors, England. The last time, that the England side visited the country for a bilateral series was way back in 2005, and recently one of the best all-rounders to have played the game from Pakistan, Shahid Afridi recalled the infamous pitch tampering incident from that series. 

Afridi faced a ban of one Test and two ODIs for tampering the pitch with his boots in a Test against England in Faisalabad. Known for his aggressive batting style, Afridi scored 92 and picked up four wickets in the Test. Looking back at the series, Afridi revealed the incidents that had led to the tampering incident in 2005.  

I was applying my full force and nothing was happening: Shahid Afridi 

Afridi mentioned that the conditions in Faisalabad neither helped the seamers or the spinners and noted the Test to be quite boring. He recalled making his full effort to turn the ball which did not happen and explained how he used the gas ‘cylinder explosion’ to his advantage. He added about Shoaib Malik playing a part in his wrong doing and realised that it was a mistake with a chuckle.  

“It was a good series. That Test was in Faisalabad. Believe me, it was a Test and the ball was neither turning, nor it was getting any swing or seam. It was getting quite boring. I was applying my full force and nothing was happening. Then suddenly, a gas cylinder exploded and eveyone got distracted. I told Malik, 'Mera dil chaah raha hai main idhar patch bana du. Ball toh turn ho!' (I want to create a patch on this pitch so badly. I want the ball to turn!),” Afridi told on Samaa TV. 

“Shoaib Malik replied, 'Kar de. Koi nai dekh raha' (Do it, no one is watching). So I did that! And then, what happened is history. When I look back at it, you do realise it was a mistake,” he added.