Date of Birth: Mar 01, 1980, Khyber Agency
Major Team: Pakistan, Asia XI, Deccan Chargers, Fly Emirates XI, Griqualand West, Habib Bank Limited, ICC World XI, Karachi, Leicestershire, South Australia
Playing Roll: All Rounder
Batting Style: Right
Bowling Style: Right-arm medium, Legbreak googly
Nick Name: Boom-boom
Comments: A highly capable leg spin bowler who can quickly turn the result of a match. His googly (bosie), can be very hard for the batsman to pick and even more difficult to play. Often misses out on the recognition he deserves as a world class bowler.
Shahid Afridi is the maddest of crazy maxes. A colorful allrounder introduced to international cricket as a 16-year-old legspinner, he surprised everyone but himself by pinch-hitting the fastest one-day hundred in his maiden innings. Afridi is a obsessive shot-maker and although until 2004 it was too often his downfall, causing him to drift in and out of the team, a combination of maturity on and off the field and a sympathetic coach in Bob Woolmer, saw Afridi blossom into one of modern-day cricket's most dangerous players and a essential cog in Pakistan's revival in 2005. A thread of sharp contributions from June 2004 culminated in a aggressive century against India in Kanpur in April 2005.Shahid Afridi is one of the greatest entertainers in world cricket. ‘Boom Boom Afridi’, as he is extensively known, follows a simple theory of either to hit out or get out, which makes him a crowd favourite.
His allround skills are completed by agile fielding and among the strongest arms in the game, he also possesses the firmest handshake in international cricket. Again he shocked everyone but himself when, after finally becoming a fixture in the Pakistan side, and a thrillingly bombastic one at that.He is capable of hitting almost any ball out of the park and is dangerous when in full flow.His carefree attitude has cost him a regular place in the side over the years. The all-rounder is also an excellent leg-spinner. Afridi was adjudged the Player of the Tournament at the World Twenty20 in 2007. He had another memorable edition in England. The all-rounder was awarded the man of the match in both, semi-final and final match of the 2009 event. He was later made the captain of the T20 side as regular skipper Younus Khan decided to retire from the shortest format of the game after guiding Pakistan to victory.
Profile of Australian Cricketer Shane Watson
Full name Shane Robert Watson
Born June 17, 1981, Ipswich, Queensland
Current age 29 years 298 days
Major teams Australia, Hampshire, New South Wales, Queensland, Rajasthan Royals, Tasmania
Nickname Watto
Playing role Allrounder
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium
Height 1.83 m
To conquer international cricket, Shane Watson first had to beat his fragile body. Despite boasting an athletic figure made for photo shoots, Watson's frame was so brittle it threatened to break him. He refused to give up. Not through recurrences of back stress fractures, hamstring strains, calf problems, hip complaints, a dislocated shoulder or a suspected heart attack that turned out to be food poisoning.
He changed his training, preferring pilates to weights, gave up alcohol, but not his dream. It finally paid off in 2009, when he was chosen as a Test opener in the middle of the Ashes series. Many batsmen would have been uncomfortable with the promotion from the middle order, especially after failing when given the job with Queensland, but Watson has been used to re-inventing himself. In his first eight Tests in the new role he scored seven fifties and a 120. With a history of setbacks, it was not a surprise that his first Test century became such a drama, but after two scores in the 90s and an 89, he finally brought it up at the MCG - thanks to a single from a dropped catch. He has earned some luck.
At the crease he is an aggressive brute with a broad chest, a right-handed disciple of Matthew Hayden, and someone who often doesn't need to follow-through to gain a boundary. However, his drives and pulls are delivered in a much smoother style than his former Queensland team-mate and his technique is worth copying.
As a bowler he is willing and speedy, but not quite as good as he thinks he is, and is prone to post-delivery exchanges. He picks up handy wickets and delivers useful overs in all forms, although he is a run-getter first and not someone who would usually be picked on bowling alone. After years of doubt he has developed into a very modern, complete and enviable package
Profile of Sachin Tendulkar
Full Name: Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
Born: April 24, 1973 in Mumbai, India
Batting Style : Right-hand Batsman
Bowling Style : Right-arm Off Break and Leg Break Bowler
Test Debut : Pakistan v India at Karachi – Nov. 15-20, 1989
ODI Debut : Pakistan v India at Gujranwala – Dec. 18, 1989
Often referred to as a living cricketing legend, Sachin Tendulkar is one the best cricketers the world has even seen. Sachin is regarded as the greatest batsman in the world today, holding several batting records to his name. Till date he has scored 35 Test and 40 ODI centuries, surpassing even the Test records of legendary cricketers like Sir Don Bradman, Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. Sachin Tendulkar was just 15 years and 232 days when he made his Test debut against Pakistan on 15 November 1989 at the National Stadium at Karachi. Though Sachin could score only 15 runs in first inning, he impressed the cricketing world with his strong determination and desire to dominate the opposition.
Sachin Tendulkar most recently became the only first batsman on this planet to score double century in One Day International history.
He also became the most capped player in test cricket. He achieved this feet in the 3rd test match played against Sri Lanka from 3rd to 7th August 2010.
Sachin Tendulkar is a stylish right-hand batsman and right-hand bowler, and when his bat is on song the whole cricketing world comes to his feet. He is renowned for his flawless batting techniques and has enthralled his fans with many a great innings in the 17 years that he has played cricket. He was also chosen to lead the Indian cricket team twice without much success, and so preferred to concentrate on his batting. At 38, Sachin Tendulkar is still going strong and is a regular member of Indian Test and ODI squad. With all the effort and dedication showed by him in last few world cups, he finally able to lift the ICC World Cup in 2011.
