Pakistan’s celebrated all-rounder Shahid Afridi has been conferred with the Hilal-e-Imtiaz, one of the country’s highest civilian honors. The award was presented by President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad on May 14, 2026, recognizing Afridi’s long international career and significant contributions to Pakistan cricket. Afridi became the fifth cricketer from the country to receive this distinction.

The ceremony also honored Pakistan’s first Test captain, Abdul Hafeez Kardar, posthumously with the same award for his foundational role in shaping the nation’s cricket. Afridi, aged 46, played 524 international matches across all formats, scoring 8,064 runs and taking 395 wickets in ODIs, along with 1,416 runs and 98 wickets in T20Is. He was instrumental in Pakistan’s 2009 T20 World Cup victory and left his mark in various franchise leagues worldwide.

In a message shared on social media, Afridi expressed that the recognition was not only a personal achievement but also a source of pride for the entire Pakistani nation.