Afridi hopes to return soon in Intl cricket

Pakistan World Cup captain Shahid Afridi hopes to return to international cricket this month after a productive meeting with the new head of the Pakistan Cricket Board.I m very positive after sharing my views with the new (PCB) chairman, Afridi told reporters after an hour-long meeting Wednesday with Zaka Ashraf in Lahore.Pakistan is scheduled to play five limited-overs internationals against Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates starting Nov. 11. Afridi s potential return is a boost for Pakistan just a day after test captain Salman Butt and bowler Mohammad Asif were convicted in a British court of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments as part of a betting scam in a match against England in August 2010.Butt, Asif and fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who had already pleaded guilty to both charges, could be jailed for up to seven years when they are sentenced later this week. Afridi quit international cricket after falling out with former PCB chairman Ijaz Butt and coach Waqar Younis soon after winning an ODI series against West Indies earlier this year.The PCB suspended the enigmatic allrounder s contract and stopped him from playing abroad for violating its code of conduct when he issued statements against cricket board officials. The allrounder started legal action to get the required permission to play for English county Hampshire before reaching an out of court settlement with the PCB.Afridi later announced he could only play once the PCB top management was changed. Ashraf, who took over from Butt last month, had said he wanted to see Afridi back in action in the one-day and Twenty20 cricket formats. But the new PCB chief also wanted to consult other senior PCB officials.On Wednesday, interim chief selector Mohammad Ilyas also joined Afridi and Ashraf during the meeting.They didn t directly say when I would be selected, but I am quite confident that I will soon return to international cricket, Afridi said.