Lahore, 17 May 2024: Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi was a special guest on the 50th edition of the PCB Podcast, which marks a significant milestone as the podcast was launched in September 2019.
In this latest episode, which is available here for viewing and free downloading for editorial purposes, the lanky left-arm speedster candidly discusses his cricket journey, including:
- His early days as the youngest of seven brothers and his family’s survival through terrorism
- Transition from being a youngster in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2018 to becoming one of the fiercest present-day fast bowlers
- The impact of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 on his career, including his outstanding performance against Bangladesh with a six-fer at Lord’s
- His current fitness and form following a career-threatening injury in 2022
- Player of the match performances against India (three for 31 in Dubai) and Bangladesh (four for 22) in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 and 2022, respectively, and the subsequent heartbreaks
- Chances in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and the team environment, emphasising playing for the star and logo on the chest rather than the name and number at the back of the shirt
- Bowling with Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, and the importance of collective performances
- Expectations from fans and supporters in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and beyond
Shaheen had a stellar series against Ireland, finishing as the standout bowler with seven wickets. During the second T20I on Sunday, Shaheen reached a milestone of 300 wickets in international cricket, becoming the 12th Pakistan bowler to achieve this feat. The other 11 are: Wasim Akram (916), Waqar Younis (789), Imran Khan (544), Shahid Afridi (538), Saqlain Mushtaq (496), Saeed Ajmal (447), Shoaib Akhtar (438), Umar Gul (427), Abdul Razzaq (388), Abdul Qadir (368), and Mushtaq Ahmed (346).
The 24-year-old, who has represented Pakistan in 146 international matches since his debut in April 2018, is now focused on the upcoming four-T20I series against England, scheduled from May 22-30, and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, set to be held in the United States and Caribbean countries from June 1-29
