CT IPL Flashback: 5 Players you didn't know played in the IPL

3. Shahid Afridi – Deccan Chargers

When the Deccan Chargers had bagged Shahid Afridi in the inaugural auctions of the tournament, a lot of hype was built around this powerpacked player. Afridi was one of the biggest names at the auctions and that comes as no surprise given the hitting ability that this veteran batsman has in the shortest format.

He made his IPL debut against the Delhi Daredevils at Hyderabad in the 2008 edition. He went on to play 10 matches in the season, with his last game being against the Chennai Super Kings at the very same home venue. He couldn’t impress as much as his team had expected though. He could muster just 81 runs in 9 innings with a top score of 33 and a low average of 10.12.

In the bowling department, he had 9 wickets to show in 10 matches with a best of 3/28. His career in the tournament saw a rather sad end as Pakistani players were not allowed to participate in the following editions. His stint was similar to that of several other Pakistani stars who participated in the 2008 edition – Sohail Tanvir, Kamran Akmal, Salman Butt, to name a few.