Shahid Afridi has said he left Karachi over its crumbling infrastructure, expressing disappointment that years of construction and investment have failed to bring meaningful change.
In an interview with Fawad Alam, the former Pakistan captain touched on a range of topics—comparing Karachi's decline to Islamabad and Lahore, reminiscing about his cricketing roots, revisiting the 2010 spot-fixing scandal, responding to criticism of Babar Azam, and offering guidance to aspiring young players.
Afridi began by praising Karachi's people but said relocating to Islamabad was necessary for a better quality of life.
"I get ashamed coming back after so long and expecting better roads, but I am sad to say that what people say could have been Paris—which I laugh at—is now areas like Korangi and University Road. I don't know how long the construction has even been going on for," he said.
He added that leaving his hometown was not an easy decision.
"It was a difficult choice to leave Karachi, the city that I grew up in. It is an amazing place with amazing people, but Islamabad's infrastructure and foundation are better. Having easy access to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Lahore through the motorway is also convenient."
Afridi also questioned why Karachi's roads remain in poor condition despite significant investment and years of development work. "There is so much money for properties to be made, and there has been construction going on for so long, but the roads are still in such a bad state."
However, he acknowledged that some infrastructure projects have been positive, specifically mentioning the Shahrah-e-Bhutto Expressway.
"Yes, there is Shahrah-e-Bhutto. I'll admit that there is some good work. However, there is a lot more to be done. I do not think that only one or two projects can satisfy the people. Karachi is a huge city."
Beyond discussing Karachi's challenges, Afridi reflected on the city that shaped his cricket career. "Karachi had a cricket craze. My neighbourhood would play cricket all day and there were many role models to look up to, such as Imran Khan. I started as a fast bowler before trying spin. I used to train with Mohsin Rasheed."
He added that club cricket in Karachi was highly competitive and drew significant crowds. "Karachi had top-level cricket, so earning a place in a club was a big achievement. People would come to watch our matches, and even top first-class cricketers played club cricket. That's where cricket became a part of my life."
Afridi also revisited the 2010 spot-fixing scandal, describing it as one of the most difficult periods of his career as Pakistan's Test captain.
