Mitchell Starc mentioned as David Warner reveals what makes Shaheen Afridi “hard to handle”

David Warner and Shaheen Afridi are two entertainers, and the fans surely enjoy their on-field action. However, the former Australian opener and Pakistan speedster have been involved in some funny as well as heated moments when the two teams meet.

In March 2022, David Warner and Shaheen Afridi pulled out a light-hearted moment in the intense third Test between Pakistan and Australia, sparking laughter from fans and players with their funny standoff.

David Warner praises Shaheen Afridi’s fierce skills and friendly edge

Actually, Shaheen bowled a short ball that Warner defended easily, stopping it at his feet. Shaheen Afridi then playfully charged toward David Warner, who responded with a grin and stepped forward to meet him.

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Both players couldn’t hold back their laughter as they came too close to each other while sharing a staredown, leaving one and all in a split. And then in 2023, during the Perth Test, Warner engaged in a verbal exchange with Shaheen after smashing the Pakistani left-armer for 43 runs in 50 balls, laced with five boundaries and one outrageous six.

However, the Aussie later played down the incident by calling it just “normal banter.”. However, Warner has now taken a U-turn after retiring from international cricket earlier this year. Recently, the former Australian left-handed batter has opened up about the challenges of facing Afridi while acknowledging the Pakistani pacer's fierce skill and strategic play.

David Warner opens up on facing Shaheen Afridi

Shaheen’s sharp and late swing won Warner's respect as he poses a genuine threat that he never underestimates. He compared the challenges of facing Afridi to the daunting experience of batting against Australia’s own paceman Mitchell Starc. He noted that both Starc and Afridi bring an intense mix of pace and swing that can unsettle even the best batters.

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The Pakistani pacer’s on-field presence is a fascinating combination of fierce competitiveness and charm, which makes him both a relentless opponent and an engaging character. And Warner hails Shaheen’s unique quality of having a friendly demeanor that can instantly shift into a focused, no-nonsense mode when it’s game time.

Shaheen Shah Afridi is hard to handle: David Warner

According to Grassroots Cricket, David Warner stated, “Shaheen Shah Afridi is hard to handle. He’s one bowler that I’ve always found I’ve had to respect. As soon as the ball is outside my eye line, that’s the only time I think I can throw the kitchen sink. When it’s inside my eye line, it’s swinging late. It’s like facing Mitchell Starc in the nets. He (Shaheen) is the greatest character on the field. He’s just so nice and lovely, but he can have the other serious side to him as well, and that’s the contest and competitiveness that you like.”

David Warner: “Shaheen Shah Afridi is hard to handle. He’s one bowler that I’ve always found I’ve had to respect. As soon as the ball is outside my eye line, that’s the only time I think I can throw the kitchen sink. When it’s inside my eye line, it’s swinging late. It’s like… pic.twitter.com/bE7uK0gJ6F

— Grassroots Cricket (@grassrootscric) November 14, 2024

Notably, Shaheen is currently on an Australia tour, where the Men in Blue have already won the three-match ODI series, and now they are facing the Kangaroos in a three-match T20I series. The hosts have won the first T20I by 23 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the ongoing T20I series. It was a 7-over contest that was started quickly after the rain stopped in Brisbane.