Someone has sent me a clip of Shahid Afridi in which, talking to the Media, he is saying: “The adoration and support that we have received here in India is even greater than that we receive back home in Pakistan.”
This stunning statement has succeeded only in bringing the ‘limelight-loving’ Khan under a greater weight of PRESSURE. Among all the captains of the teams participating in the T-20 World Cup, Shahid Afridi is the only one who is skippering on the basis not of performance but of reputation. Ironically his reputation too quite lately hasn’t been enviable. And while writing this, I cannot help recalling a famous advertisement of Rolls Royce by Bernbach.
In the picture is seen an aging Rolls Royce with its bonnet raised.
There is no engine inside.
The slogan of the advertisement is:
“The Car That Runs On Reputation”
We sincerely hope Shahid Afridi can draw some inspiration from his past reputation and scores enough runs to cool down the fury of those of his countrymen who have been ‘hit hard’ by his latest statement. Otherwise he will be needing more security’ back home than has been provided to him in Kolkata.
Has anyone read Dryden?
Here is an amazing couplet from him.
Others to some sense may make pretense.
But Shadwell—He never deviates into sense.
Shadwell was Dryden’s contemporary.
Shahid Khan Afridi of his times!
