Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi tells Mobile ESPN's about his plans to build a hospital for the poor.

Cricket and charity have always gone hand in hand. The three biggest names that readily come to mind are: Imran Khan, Steve Waugh and Ian Botham. This legendary troika has earned as much honour from charity work as they did during their best playing days.

It is difficult to explain what makes a celebrity turn to charity. In terms of media attention, it probably brings as much attention but to dedicate ones life for charity work is no cakewalk. For men like Botham and Imran, whose bohemian lifestyles, betray their commitment towards benevolence, the duo has been pioneers in their own domains. Imran's cancer hospital named after his mother Shaukat Khanam and Botham's treks with elephants across the Alps to raise funds for leukaemia research are part of sports folklore.

Afridi may not be in the same "Big Boys Play at Night" league as a Botham or an Imran, but the perky Pathan, who as an 18-year-old, slammed the quickest one-day century off just 37 balls, probably sums up why a celebrity gets attracted to charity work. The 27-year-old Afridi says: "It is pay back time now. I feel the people who have showered so much love and respect on us cricketers, must get something in return. I have got so much love from the fans and it's now my turn to deliver."

Afridi is in early stages of his negotiations with the Pakistan government. A friend, who is into construction business, is lending a helping hand. "It need not be a cancer hospital. I have seen poor people suffering from common ailments. We need to do something for them," Afridi said in an exclusive chat with Mobile ESPN. The hospital will come up in Karachi, but there is no deadline as yet. "The moment I get the land, work will begin," Afridi asserts.

In the roller-coaster life of a star cricketer, one gets to know very little about a man's insight. Afridi's demeanour on a cricket field hardly reflects a personality that has matured with age. A candid Afridi says: "Age does play a vital role in a man's life. Responsibilities increase with age and one tends to become more serious towards life. Every phase in a person's life is different. When you are not married, it's a carefree life. Kids bring in more responsibility. One should be ready for change."

So what prompted Afridi to build a hospital? Did Imran's project inspire him? Afridi says: "No particular reason why. I just want to work for the poor people whose prayers have always been instrumental in our success." Interestingly, former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq is building a hospital in Multan as well.

While Afridi's focus off the cricket field centres on his proposed hospital, life on the pitch has been somewhat in the doldrums. After 26 Tests and 258 one-day Internationals, the Pakistani all-rounder still wonders if he had done justice to his enormous potential.

"I was always in two minds as a cricketer. Always in a fix, whether I should concentrate more on my batting or bowling, due to which I was not able to focus on one particular aspect of the game. But slowly I began to lay more emphasis on my bowling, as a result my bowling improved more than my batting.

"In the last 3 years, my bowling has been good in international matches, especially in Tests (best is 5/52 versus Australia). But now I am trying to improve my batting skills (5 centuries). I know that as a batsman in the Indian Premier League, I have fallen well below the expectations of everybody. It has even left me worried and will now certainly give more time to batting."

If that was confession of a blue-blooded Pathan, Afridi will have to work hard to get his place back in the Test squad. His last Test was against England in July 2006. His one-day batting form has not been inspiring either. An unbeaten 27 against Bangladesh in April this year was his best in three innings. His bowling was better - 12 wickets from 5 games. For someone who wears his country's colours with pride, Afridi needs to quickly diagnose his cricketing worries.