You need the management personnel who can help you out with various things. The captain can't be asked to get into every decision.
— Shahid Afridi
Once I am out of the ground, I forget cricket or keep it away as far as possible, to lighten up.
I think, in international cricket, your management is about motivating players.
Playing for Pakistan was such a huge dream.
There is a lot of warmth and fellow-feeling whenever I have spoken to Virat. It's not that we get a chance to speak a lot, but from time to time, he would drop in a message, and I would do the same.
You should be allowed to tamper with the ball after the 30th or 40th over.
Every team knows its strength.
I am a huge fan of Sachin. He is not only a great cricketer but a humble human being as well.
I am a mature, professional cricketer who fully fathoms the trends and experiences the game has to offer.
All we can do is to work hard.
Every child is a gift of Allah, and every child in Pakistan, to me, is like my own child, so I will do my best to take the message to every doorstep in Pakistan. Reaching every child, every time with the polio vaccine is not only necessary, but it is our duty. This disease can't deter us; we will defeat it.
Kashmir belongs to the Kashmiris. Not to Indians. Not to Pakistanis.
Our country has backed us so much. People who love you so much can criticise you as well.
Media houses should only hire people with a clean background to give their expert opinion.
My whole identity comes from Pakistan.
I have enjoyed my cricket in India, and I love Indian people.
I have always done my bit to improve Indo-Pak ties, but sometimes you say something, and it is interpreted the other way.
Nobody is a born captain. He learns with time.
It is my hope that Babar Azam will become a bigger player like Virat Kohli.
I don't think, in international cricket, there is a need for coaching. The real coaching is to recognise your players' strengths and weaknesses. You always remain positive with your players.
As long as you are winning, everything is fine, and you lose a game, and all hell breaks loose. That is grossly unfair. We should not overlook someone's past achievements just because he is going through a bad patch.
My relationship with Virat is not dictated by political situation. Virat is a fantastic human being and an ambassador of cricket for his country, just like I am for my country.
Yuvraj is a better batsman than me, I have no doubt.
Treat cricket like a sport.
Sachin is one of the best batsmen, and the whole world knows this. He does not need mine or anybody else's certificate. His records speak for him.
Obviously, I want to do well in the Champions Trophy, which is like a mini World Cup with all top teams participating.
Every day, I do training. Sometimes at midnight I train, sometimes 4:30 in the morning as well.
So many mouths can get fed, so many minds can be nourished, if India and Pakistan resolve the Kashmir issue through a Kashmiri-owned, Kashmiri-led peace process.
I have played with seriousness and in a professional way for my country.
I am disappointed at not being able to live up to the expectations of my supporters, but every cricketer goes through such a time.
My main strength is my bowling, but where I bat, I can also contribute for the team, and that is important.
What we need to do is strike the right balance in our teams for all three formats of the sport.
I have always got a lot of love and affection from Indian fans.
My identity is that of a Pakistani player. And nothing is more important than that for me.
Respect is the most essential thing about captaincy. Respect between the captain and players is important. It is give and take.
You can really put yourself out there in front of the world, make a name for yourself in international cricket.
I began as a bowler and batting at No. 8 or 9 at Under-14, U-16 and U-19 levels, so to change myself was really difficult.
I think, after Pakistan, the two countries where I have received most love and respect are India and Australia.
There is no team in the world that doesn't tamper with the ball.
In one-day cricket, we should not think that we can win easily against any team. There have been examples when big teams have lost to small sides.
I don't think there is a need to treat matches with India like a matter of life and death. We need to take cricket as cricket.
I have seen that Tendulkar was not at all comfortable against Shoaib in Kolkata Test in 1999. It was Shoaib's first tour of India, and he bowled out Sachin without giving him a chance to open his account.
We think game by game.
If you're playing, or not playing, training is always good to keep you young.
Nobody in the Indian subcontinent has suffered or struggled more than Kashmiris.
I have said goodbye to international cricket.
I am not one to run away from challenges, as I am a fighter, and I will come back.
Whether it is Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, or Inzamam ul-Haq, they will also say that they get a lot of respect here because cricket is literally worshiped in India.
I would say T20 cricket has introduced a more positive attitude in players and led to Tests also being played more aggressively and being more result oriented.
The media makes a big deal of small issues.
