Former Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi criticised his own to be son-in-law Shaheen Afridi’s bowling performance against Australia’s Matthew Wade in the 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final in Dubai which ended in Pakistan being knockout after being unbeaten in the group stage.
With 20 runs needed off 10 balls, Shaheen Afridi bowling the penultimate over, Wade got a lifeline when Hasan Ali dropped his catch in the deep and he took a couple of runs. With 18 required from 9 balls, the game hung in balance, however, it was snatched away by Wade in a matter of three balls as he clattered the left-arm speedster for three consecutive sixes to seal the chase – propelling Australia into the final and knocking Pakistan out.
An unhappy Shahid Afridi then said in an interview that despite the dropped catch by Hasan Ali, it was not a reason for Shaheen to bowl badly and concede three consecutive sixes.
“I am not happy with Shaheen in one area. Okay so Hasan Ali dropped a catch but that does not mean you will bowl badly and get hit for three successive sixes,” Shahid Afridi had told Samaa TV channel after the game.
“Shaheen has so much pace and he should have used it sensibly. Even if the catch was dropped. He should have used his head and tried to bowl outside off stump fast Yorkers with his pace. He is not that sort of bowler to be hit like that.”
For the unversed, Shaheen is engaged to Shahid Afridi’s elder daughter Aqsa.
Adding to his previous points, Shahid Afridi lavished high praises the young fast bowler, who is also now regarded as the best all-format pacer. The senior Afridi also likened Shaheen’s bowling to the great Wasim Akram and the phenomenal Mohammad Amir.
“I would say he was brilliant in the tournament and I have only seen either Wasim bhai (Akram) or perhaps Muhammad Amir bowl like this with the new ball. He is giving good performances. I hope he learns from this cricket experience and prepares himself for the future,” the former Pakistani skipper concluded.
Shaheen finished with 7 wickets in the tournament, and helped Pakistan beat India for the first time in the World Cup with his stunning three-wicket haul that included the wickets of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli.
