Shaheen Afridi will undeniably be Pakistan’s most valuable bowler at the T20 World Cup 2024. The fast bowler is one of the best bowlers in the shortest format of the game and was instrumental to the Pakistan cricket team’s success in the last two editions of the mega-event (2021 and 2022).
But, despite being their best bowler since his debut, Shaheen has faced criticism. Much of this came at one of the worst moments of his career. The spearhead, who was their highest wicket-taker in the T20 World Cup 2022, had suffered an injury during the final against England.
Should have broken his knee: Shoaib Akhtar’s unfair criticism
Instead of consoling him, he was met with heavy scrutiny. At the helm of his criticism was another speedster, Shoaib Akhtar. On what probably was the worst day of his cricket career, Akhtar claimed that Shaheen would have rather broken his knee in half while trying to come back to the field and bowl.
“If I were in his [Shaheen Afridi] place, I would have become the greatest celebrity in Pakistan during those 12 minutes by bowling the same number of deliveries. I would’ve come to bowl, fell, and broken my knees, but I would’ve gotten up, used injections to numb my knees, and repeated the same again,” Akhtar had said back then.
Pakistan Cricket
Wasn’t allowed to enter the field, says Shaheen Afridi
In a recent podcast with Pakistan Cricket, Shaheen revealed that he wanted to take the field in the Pakistan vs England final, but the management and skipper Babar Azam didn’t allow him to do so.
“You’re disheartened if you get so close and still lose the World Cup (T20). Both events were painful. We were hurt after the first loss [T20 World Cup 2021], and in the second event, I couldn’t help the side because I was injured. I tried my best to come back [on the field], but I wasn’t allowed to do so,” Shaheen said.
