International career

Riaz Afridi was born on January 21, 1985, in Pakistan. He is a former cricketer and now a cricket coach. He played as a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler. Riaz is the older brother of Shaheen Shah Afridi, a famous Pakistani fast bowler.

Although Riaz Afridi didn’t play a long time for Pakistan's national team, he still made a name for himself in domestic cricket. He also has a connection to football. His cousin, Yasir Afridi, is a well-known Pakistani footballer.

Riaz's family has strong ties to sports, and his career highlights his importance in Pakistan’s cricket scene, even though his brother Shaheen has received more international attention.

• 2004: Riaz Afridi became well-known after Pakistan's Under-19 team won the World Cup. He was the team's top wicket-taker, taking 19 wickets at an average of under 13. His great performance helped Pakistan win the title. This success put him in the spotlight and led to his selection for the senior team.
• 2004 (October 28 - November 1): Afridi made his Test debut for Pakistan against Sri Lanka in Karachi. He played only one match for the national team. In that game, he took two wickets. However, there were concerns about his bowling action. He shared the stage with Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who also made his debut in this match.
• 2007: Riaz Afridi joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL) in February along with seven other Pakistani cricketers. After this, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) banned him from playing for Pakistan or in domestic cricket. This decision ended his chance of playing for the national team again.
• Later Years: After his brief international career, Afridi continued to play in domestic cricket. He performed well, maintaining a good bowling average in first-class matches. However, his domestic form was not enough to bring him back into the national team.

Leagues Participation

Riaz Afridi joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL) in 2007. His involvement in the league led to a ban from playing for Pakistan and in domestic cricket.

Indian Cricket League (ICL)

In 2007, Afridi signed with the Indian Cricket League and played for the Lahore Badshahi team. He was one of eight Pakistani cricketers who joined the league that year. Following this, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) banned him from playing for the national team or in domestic competitions.

Year	Team	Notes
2007	Lahore Badshahi	Played in ICL; banned from representing Pakistan and domestic cricket

Domestic career

Riaz Afridi started his domestic career in the 2001/02 season, playing both First-Class and List A cricket. His last First-Class match was in January-February 2013, where he played for Lahore Ravi against Peshawar. He played his final List A match in March 2012 for Peshawar Panthers against United Bank at Peshawar.

In T20 cricket, Afridi made his debut in February 2006 for Peshawar Panthers against Wolves. His final T20 game was in September 2015 for KR Blues against FATA Region at Rawalpindi.

In 2007, Afridi joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL) and played for Lahore Badshahs, which caused him to miss further opportunities with the Pakistan national team.

Afridi also played for Great Ayton CC in the northeast of England. He helped the club win the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League for the first time and took 100 wickets in a season in the following year.

Despite his success, injuries affected his career, and he played fewer domestic games. He retired from first-class cricket in 2015 at 30 years old. By the time he finished, Afridi had taken 328 first-class wickets at an average of 24.60.

Other Leagues

Riaz Afridi played for Great Ayton CC during the summer months in the North-east of England. He helped the team win the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League for the first time. In the following season, he set a record by taking 100 wickets in the league.

Records and achievements

Riaz Afridi has achieved several notable records and milestones throughout his career:

• In the 2004 ICC Under-19 World Cup, Afridi helped Pakistan win the tournament by taking 19 wickets.
• He played his only international match for Pakistan on 28 October 2004 against Sri Lanka.
• In 2007, Afridi helped Great Ayton CC win the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League.
• In 2008, he took 100 wickets in a season for Great Ayton CC, setting a record.

Personal life

Riaz Afridi was born on January 21, 1985, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. He grew up in a modest family where his parents emphasized the importance of hard work and dedication. Although Riaz has had success in cricket, he keeps most details about his personal life private.

Family

Riaz Afridi is married, but there is limited information about his wife or children.

Finance

His estimated net worth is between $1 million to $5 million.

Scandals

In 2007, Riaz joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL), which resulted in a ban by the Pakistan Cricket Board. After the ban was lifted, he returned to playing in domestic matches.

Fans

Riaz has a large following on social media, with 7.2 million followers on Instagram.