Ranking top 10 controversial cricketers

7. Shahid Afridi

Unarguably the biggest entertainer & one of the biggest superstars Pakistan cricket has ever produced, Shahid Afridi was a man who has had a unique flair on & off the field. He is the only cricketer to have taken & withdrawn retirement more than once & is still trolled for this action. However, most fans remember Boom Boom Afridi as a pinch hitter & an enigmatic personality. With such an introduction, do you think that controversies wouldn’t like Shahid Afridi?

He is known for the controversial answers he gives during interviews, press conferences & social media. He has openly admitted that he wouldn’t allow his daughters to play cricket or any outdoor sport for that matter. When asked about the Pakistan Women’s team, he replied, “Our women have magic in their hands; they are good cooks.” He has also claimed that he had seen Sachin Tendulkar’s legs trembling while facing Shoaib Akhtar, which infuriated fans especially Indians to another level.

But the best controversy, if we may say, was the ball-tampering incident where he bit the ball so that the seam gets damaged which in turn would aid Pakistan bowlers in reverse swinging the ball. In later public comments, Afridi admitted to tampering with the ball, apologized but added the practice was common among all teams. As a result, he was banned for 2 T20Is after being found guilty.