Pakistan’s former captain Shahid Afridi was honoured with the Hilal-e-Imtiaz on Wednesday, receiving the country’s second-highest civilian award in recognition of his cricketing work and long service to the national team. The ceremony took place at Aiwan-e-Sadr, where Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari presented the medal.
Quick facts
- Shahid Afridi received the Hilal-e-Imtiaz on Wednesday.
- Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari presented the honour at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
- It makes Afridi only the fourth Pakistani cricketer to receive the award.
- The award recognises his international contributions and influential white-ball career.
- Across 524 international matches, Afridi is remembered as a destructive all-round performer.
- He played 398 ODI matches, scoring 8,064 runs with six centuries and 39 fifties, and taking 395 wickets.
- His defining moment is linked to Pakistan’s 2009 ICC World Twenty20 title win.
- In the 2009 final vs Sri Lanka at Lord’s, he made 54* off 40 balls and also took a wicket.
- He has played franchise cricket in the PSL, BBL, IPL, CPL and other leagues.
The Hilal-e-Imtiaz places Afridi alongside a short list of Pakistan greats who have previously been recognised with the same civilian honour. Afridi becomes only the fourth cricketer from Pakistan to receive it, joining Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Abdul Hafeez Kardar.
The recognition also reflects the scale of Afridi’s white-ball impact. Over the course of 524 international appearances, he carved out a reputation as one of the game’s most explosive all-rounders, capable of shifting momentum in a matter of overs.
In one-day internationals, Afridi remains among Pakistan’s most-capped players. He appeared in 398 ODI matches, accumulating 8,064 runs that included six hundreds and 39 fifties, while also grabbing 395 wickets—an all-round tally that highlights his match-winning value with both bat and ball.
2009: the performance that shaped his legacy
While Afridi’s influence spanned formats, one moment has often stood out as the defining chapter of his T20 career. It came during Pakistan’s title-winning campaign at the ICC World Twenty20.
In the final against Sri Lanka at Lord’s, Afridi delivered under intense pressure, finishing unbeaten on 54 off 40 deliveries. He also claimed a wicket as Pakistan went on to secure a memorable championship win, with that all-round showing becoming one of the signature performances in Pakistan’s T20 history.
Beyond international cricket, Afridi’s career has also been marked by a wide footprint in franchise tournaments around the world. He has played in the Pakistan Super League, the Big Bash League, the Indian Premier League and the Caribbean Premier League, along with several other competitions.
Now at 46, Afridi’s latest honour underlines how his cricketing story has continued to resonate across different generations. The Hilal-e-Imtiaz serves as formal recognition of a career that travelled well beyond one team, one tournament, or one era.
