PAK vs ENG: Watch: Shaheen Afridi left furious after fielding blunder denies him early breakthrough

Pakistan’s star speedster Shaheen Afridi was left visibly frustrated as a comedy of errors in the slip cordon denied him an early breakthrough and a golden opportunity to strike first blood slipped through during the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup match between the Lions and the Panthers.

Afridi was denied his first wicket, thanks to a lack of communication among the Lions fielders in the first over of the Panthers' innings during the ongoing List-A match at the Iqbal Cricket Stadium in Faisalabad on Monday, September 16.

The comedy of errors in the slip cordon frustrates Shaheen Afridi in the Champions One-Day Cup

Shaheen Afridi, who was opening the bowling for the Lions, had the task to exploit the tricky conditions and put pressure on the Panthers. The left-arm pacer started off shakily with a wide delivery but soon gets into a rhythm, delivering a beauty to the out-of-form Saim Ayub (10).

Pakistan’s former T20I captain Shaheen Afridi bowled a full-length ball that pitched around the fifth stump and shaped away just enough to tempt Ayub into a risky drive. The Panthers’ opener, playing away from his body, managed only a thick outside edge, and the ball went toward the slip fielders.

It was supposed to be an easy catch, but the slip fielders seemed confused about who was going to get the ball. They didn't move; instead, they acted as mere spectators as the ball sailed between them, racing all the way to the boundary for four.

Their poor presence of mind left Shaheen Afridi frustrated, as it was the moment for the star pacer to redeem himself after a very poor outing in the previous game. After the missed opportunity by the Lions, the Panthers had a chance to rebuild after a shaky start in the fifth game of the Champions One-Day Cup match in Faisalabad.

Watch here Shaheen Afridi's angry look:

pic.twitter.com/sRJNmn3DBw

— Cricket Cricket (@cricket543210) September 16, 2024

With Ayub getting the lifeline, Shaheen was wrenched by having failed to build on a chance when it mattered to set up his spell in the List-A game. At the same time, Afridi's anger on the field highlighted the Lions' frustration at missing this opportunity narrowly against the Panthers.

Shaheen Afridi shines bright with the ball for the Lions

It not only deprived Shaheen of a potential wicket but also brought the fact before all the eyes to mark the importance of sharp fielding at the right times. Well, the game moved forward, and the Lions got the first success in the form of Azan Awais off Siraj Uddin, and then Afridi finally got his first wicket.

The Lions captain Afridi removed Umar Siddiq for a 6-ball duck and then Amad Bhatt and Arafat Minhas to finish with a three-wicket haul, as the Panthers were bowled out to 283 runs with Mubasir Khan (90) and Haider Ali (84) being the top-scorers for the team in the game.

Ahmed Daniyal and Shaheen finished with three-wicket hauls, while Siraj Uddin and Aamer Yamin shared four wickets between them for the Lions. Chasing the target, the Lions are heading strongly towards their goal, as they need 215 runs in 38 overs with seven wickets in hand to win the match.