Shaheen Shah Afridi, the Pakistani cricket sensation, has swiftly risen through the ranks to establish himself as a potent and dangerous new ball bowler. His tall stature, coupled with a smooth left-arm action, allows him to extract bounce and swing consistently. Afridi’s ability to generate pace and seam movement places him among the elite in the cricketing world. His breakthrough performances have often come in crucial situations, dismantling top-order batting line-ups with ease.
What sets Afridi apart is his relentless accuracy and the knack for exploiting opposition weaknesses. His mastery of both conventional and reverse swing makes him a threat in various conditions. Having honed his skills in domestic cricket, Afridi’s transition to international cricket has been seamless. The young bowler’s hunger for wickets and his impact in all formats underline his potential to become one of the premier fast bowlers globally, bringing excitement and anticipation to cricket fans worldwide.
Since the ODI World Cup 2023, Shaheen Shah Afridi has experienced a dip in form, notably struggling to replicate his earlier menacing performances. The once-potent new ball bowler has shown a decline in threat level, with reduced pace being a concerning factor. In the recent Test series in Australia, where Pakistan suffered a 3-0 whitewash, Afridi’s diminished pace was conspicuous, with the team’s bowlers consistently clocking around 130, a far cry from their usual 145-plus speeds.
This decline has raised eyebrows, especially given Pakistan’s reputation for producing express pace bowlers, even on traditionally fast and bouncy Australian pitches. The collective decrease in pace became a focal point of criticism, as fans and pundits questioned the team’s ability to pose a formidable challenge to opponents. Afridi’s struggle post-World Cup 2023 adds a layer of complexity to Pakistan’s bowling dynamics, requiring a closer look at the factors impacting his performance and potential solutions to reignite his threat with the new ball.
Shaheen Afridi expressed astonishment at the consistently lower pace readings displayed on the speed gun during matches. He conveyed his surprise by questioning whether the broadcasters intentionally capped the speed gun at a certain level. Afridi shared that while on the field, he and his teammates found themselves constantly checking the big screen, puzzled by the readings. He admitted, “To be honest, when we were bowling, we were watching the board [big screen] ourselves. ‘Are we really this [slow]?’ We couldn’t understand.” Despite their dedicated efforts and hard work, the recorded speeds consistently remained around 132-133 kph. Afridi’s remarks imply a sense of confusion and suspicion, suggesting that external factors, possibly influenced by broadcasters, might have affected the perceived pace of their deliveries. Shaheen was brutally trolled for this statement.
Shaheen Afridi Gets Brutally Trolled For Blaming Speed Gun In Australia
Babar Azam is not out of form, one or two innings don't make a difference. He is our best batter" – Shaheen Afridi
pic.twitter.com/uT7s45n9Is— Cricket Nerd (@goodmen761) January 11, 2024
