NOTTINGHAM: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan’s premier fast bowler, is fully fit and eagerly anticipates a successful Test series against Sri Lanka later this month.
Before departing for Pakistan to join the national squad, the left-arm pacer represented Nottinghamshire Outlaws in the T20 Blast tournament and exclusively spoke to Geo News at Trent Bridge stadium.
Shaheen’s last Test match for Pakistan was almost a year ago, also against Sri Lanka, during which he sustained a knee injury that kept him sidelined for an extended period.
However, Shaheen dismisses claims regarding his match fitness and urges people to move on from the injury, considering it a thing of the past.
“I am fully fit, which is why I’m back in the Test team. If I hadn’t been match fit, my name wouldn’t have been in the squad. I will be playing for Pakistan’s national team, not a club-level team,” Shaheen affirmed.
“I’m excited to represent Pakistan in Test cricket once again, and I seek the support of the public. I play for my country with immense pride. Whether injured or not, I always strive to give my hundred percent for the team when I’m in the squad,” he added.
During his stint with Nottinghamshire Outlaws in the T20 Blast, Shaheen claimed 22 wickets in 14 group stage matches, averaging 20.81 with a strike rate of 14.86.
His most notable performance came in the penultimate match of the group stage against Birmingham Bears, where he wreaked havoc by taking four wickets in his first over, making history as the first bowler in T20 cricket to achieve this feat.
“To take four wickets in this manner in any form of cricket is a great achievement. I have taken four wickets in an over before, also in the T20 Blast, but this is the first time I did it in the first over. It’s an unforgettable moment in my life. Unfortunately, we lost that game, and I feel remorseful about it, but it’s part of the game,” he shared.
When asked about his overall performance in the T20 Blast tournament, Shaheen expressed great satisfaction.
“In my opinion, I performed exceptionally well in many matches. I can’t say these performances were average or subpar because they were, in fact, good. This format of cricket is challenging worldwide due to the fast pace of the game,” he explained.
“The T20 Blast is renowned for high-scoring matches, especially at our home ground, Trent Bridge, which has a history of games with very high scores due to the short square boundaries. Despite that, I enjoyed my time here and had a great experience with Nottinghamshire Outlaws,” he added.
Shaheen also shared insights into the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup match against India on October 15 in Ahmedabad.
“We need to shift our focus from just the India vs. Pakistan match and concentrate on winning the World Cup as a team. That’s our objective,” he emphasized.
“We are optimistic about performing well in the Test series against Sri Lanka, followed by the Asia Cup and the World Cup. Our goal is to give our best in all these upcoming events and strive for victory in each one,” he concluded.