Note: The write is not against Islam or Pakistan.

A Telugu daily (Saakshi) reported that Shahid Afridi cried after getting out for a low score against Sri Lanka in the ongoing Asia cup. Of late, Boom Boom Afridi has been going through a lean patch and is getting out cheaply. He let down all even in the IPL series where he played for Deccan Chargers.

Instead of approaching the coach, Shahid approached his religious leader and asked for some tips to come out of the bad patch. In a typical guru style, the preacher asked Afridi to offer some prayers and not to get disturbed by other things.

There is no wrong in believing in God, but leaving everything to God and the so called gurus and offering prayers five to six times a day do not guarantee you results. Former greats like Wasim Akram, Imran Khan and Javed Miandad are also very religious, but maintained a fine balance between sports and religion.

Current Pakistani team has been under this Islamic effect ever since Saeed Anwar lost one of his family members. Then it was Saqlain, Inzamam, Mustaq Ahmed, Shabbir Ahmed and Mohammed Yousuf who became very religious.

As someone commented after Pakistan team's debacle in the 2007 world cup, the Pakistan team is more like a religious group than a cricket team.