Shaheen Afridi: A Rising Star in Pakistan’s Cricket
Shaheen Shah Afridi is a young and talented fast bowler from Pakistan who has been making waves in international cricket in recent years. Despite being only 21 years old, he has already established himself as one of the key players in the Pakistan national team’s bowling line-up. In this article, we will take a closer look at the rise of Shaheen Afridi and his journey to becoming a star in the world of cricket.
Early Life and Career
Shaheen Afridi was born on 6th April 2000 in the Khyber Agency region of Pakistan. He grew up in a family of cricketers, with his father being a coach and his elder brother, Riaz Afridi, also a professional cricketer. Shaheen started playing cricket at a young age and quickly showed a lot of promise as a fast bowler.
Shaheen made his first-class debut for Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) in 2017 at the age of just 17. He impressed everyone with his ability to generate pace and swing, and his performances soon caught the attention of the national selectors. In the same year, he was selected to play for Pakistan Under-19s in the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup, where he took nine wickets in four matches.
International Debut and Early Success
Shaheen Afridi made his international debut for Pakistan in a T20I against the West Indies in April 2018. He was just 18 years old at the time, but he showed no signs of nerves as he picked up two wickets in his very first over. He finished the match with figures of 3 for 7 and was named the Player of the Match.
Shaheen’s impressive debut earned him a spot in Pakistan’s squad for the 2018 Asia Cup, where he continued to impress with his pace and swing. He took a total of eight wickets in the tournament, including a four-wicket haul against Bangladesh in the final.
Shaheen’s performances in the Asia Cup helped him establish himself as a regular member of the Pakistan national team. He played a key role in Pakistan’s victory in the T20I series against New Zealand later that year, taking 4 for 38 in the second match.
Rising Star in World Cricket
Shaheen Afridi’s performances in the international arena have continued to improve over the last few years, and he has established himself as one of the best fast bowlers in the world. He has played a key role in several of Pakistan’s victories in recent times, and his pace and swing have troubled some of the best batsmen in the world.
In the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, Shaheen Afridi was one of the standout performers for Pakistan. He finished the tournament with 16 wickets, the joint highest for Pakistan along with Mohammad Amir. He took a five-wicket haul against Bangladesh in Pakistan’s final match of the tournament, becoming the youngest ever bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a World Cup match.
Shaheen’s performances in the World Cup earned him a place in the ICC’s Team of the Tournament, alongside some of the best players in the world. He was also named Pakistan’s Emerging Player of the Year at the PCB Awards in August 2019.
Shaheen Afridi’s impressive performances have not gone unnoticed, and he has attracted interest from several franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was signed by the Lahore Qalandars in 2018 and has played for the team in every season since then.