Shahid Afridi joins Yuvraj Singh and Chris Gayle as ICC T20 World Cup ambassador

Dubai: Maverick former all-rounder Shahidi Afridi, who played a vital role in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2009, was on Friday roped in as the tournament ambassador for the ICC's shortest format showpiece event in the Americas, beginning on June 1.

Afridi thus joined an illustrious group of ambassadors, including India’s Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle of the West Indies and sprint legend Usain Bolt.

“The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is an event that is very close to my heart," said Afridi in an ICC media release.

“From being Player of the Tournament in the inaugural edition to lifting the trophy in 2009, some of my favourite career highlights have come from competing on this stage.

“I’m thrilled to be part of this edition (as ambassador), where we will see more teams, more matches and even more drama than ever before.” In the 2009 edition of the tournament held in England, Afridi was the second highest run-getter for Pakistan with 176 runs, made at a strike-rate of 140 with two fifties.

The former Pakistan captain, who competed in six editions of the T20 World Cup, was the Player of the Match in the semifinal against South Africa and in the final against Sri Lanka that year.

He made an unbeaten 54 off 40 balls in the final at Lord’s as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets to bag the trophy.

Afridi, who was the player of the tournament in 2007 when his team lost to India in the final, said he was looking forward to Pakistan’s match against India on June 8 in New York.

“I am particularly excited to witness the India vs Pakistan fixture on 9 June.

“It is one of the great rivalries in sport and New York will be a fitting stage for this unmissable encounter between two great teams,” he added.