Ahead of T20 World Cup, Shaheen Shah Afridi is confident in his pace
The pace sensation of Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, has dismissed concerns about his bowling pace ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024, asserting that he can still bowl at 140 or 145.
Afridi, who has risen meteorically in the cricketing world, attributes part of his success to the Lahore Qalandars franchise, which provided him with a crucial platform.
Shaheen Afridi said, “I know I can still bowl 140 or 145, but you have to do everything when the time is right. In T20 cricket, no bowler bowls 140-plus as their average ball. In T20 cricket, you only need to bowl three or four balls at an express pace. There are a lot of slower balls, variations, and the like. I have never felt my pace dip. I know I can bowl 140 or 145. I’m still fit and young, just 23.”
He highlighted the importance of local players in the team’s success. He credited the Lahore Qalandars’ Player Development Programme for discovering talent across the country, turning the franchise’s fortunes around. While Afridi technically emerged before the PDP, it was his standout performance in the Pakistan Super League that catapulted him into the national spotlight.