Shahid Afridi raised more than a few hackles across the border in Pakistan by talking of the love he always received from Indian crowds. What is indubitable though is the impact he left on India during his early years as a see-it-hit-it batsman.
Only one of his five Test hundreds was scored in this country, but few Pakistani or Indian fans will ever forget it.
The epic Chennai Test of 1999 is recalled primarily because of Tendulkar’s magnificent 136 in a doomed final-innings chase.
But it was Afridi’s belligerent 141, off 191 balls, that was the spur for the win.
The next-highest score in Pakistan’s second innings was Inzamam-ul-Haq’s 51.
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Six years later, with Pakistan 1-0 down in the series, he transformed the final Test at Bangalore with some breathtaking shots.
Ahead by 121, Pakistan needed quick runs to set India a target.
Afridi, who opened as he had in Chennai in 1999, lashed eight fours and two sixes in a 34-ball 58.
When India collapsed on the final afternoon, it was Afridi that gave them the decisive nudge, with the wickets of Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly. A couple of weeks later, at Ahmedabad, his 40 from 23 balls gave Pakistan early impetus as they chased down 316 to level the one-day international series at 2-2.
Three days later at Kanpur, he scattered the Indian bowling to all corners of Green Park as he thrashed 102 from 46 balls.
The 4-2 win – Pakistan had been 2-0 down – was sealed in Delhi, where his contribution was a 23-ball 44.
He may never have become the player Pakistan hoped he would be, but the back catalogue of boom-boom innings on Indian turf will ensure that he is never forgotten here.
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