PAK vs NZ: Shaheen Afridi pays an emotional tribute to Shoaib Akhtar (Watch Video)

Pakistani left-arm seamer Shaheen Afridi paid tribute to Pakistan fast bowling legend Shaoib Akhtar after claiming the wicket of Kiwi opener Tom Blundell last night. 

The Men in Green were hosting New Zealand for the 5th and series concluding T20I at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore. Therein, Shaheen Afridi was in an absolute beast mode with the ball as he shattered the Blackcaps batting line-up with his fiery deliveries. For his performance in the 2nd innings, Afridi was adjudged as man of the match. 

Pakistan's 1st innings with the bat 

Pakistan and Shaheen Afridi had become the subject of online trolling after they had lost to New Zealand by 7-wickets in the penultimate T20I which brought the series on level terms.

After the 1st T20I had been washed out, the hosts claimed victory in the 3rd T20I at the Rawalpindi stadium before the Kiwis came out on top in back-to-back matches. 

With New Zealand leading in the series by 2-1, Pakistan needed to do something special. Skipper Babar Azam was asked to bowl first in Lahore after Micheal Bracewell won the coin toss. The home team had a crumbling start as they were 8/1 in the 2nd over as Saim Ayub was sent back by William O'Rourke for 1 off 5. 

Then Babar Azam found support from the number 3 batter Usman Khan. The duo took charge and maintained a strike rate of 10 in the powerplay and had put together a partnership of 73 runs before Usman departed for 31 off 24. In came power hitter Fakhar Zaman who then stitched a partnership of 42 runs with Babar, who departed in the last ball of the 15th over after scoring 69 off 44. 

Iftikhar Ahmed could not provide much impact with the bat as he could score just 6 runs. However, no. 6 batter Shadab Khan accelerated Pakistan's innings with a 300 strike rated 15 runs off 5 balls while Zaman scored 43 off 33 to help the hosts post a target of 179. 

Shaheen Afridi's sensational night out in Lahore

All 8 Pakistani bowlers including Shaheen Afridi had a huge task of restricting New Zealand from reaching the total otherwise the series would ended at 3-1. And just like a true senior player does, Shaheen Shah took the responsibility on his shoulders and clapped back at the Kiwis. 

A first-over special as always! 🎯🦅

The Eagle pays tribute to the Pindi Express 🤩#PAKvNZ | #AaTenuMatchDikhawan pic.twitter.com/Uk4epdfKtS

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) April 27, 2024

The former T20I captain got rid of New Zealand opener Tom Blundell in the very first over of the 2nd innings. Shaheen Afridi bowled a pacey length delivery which tailed away from Blundell, who had made up his mind to send the ball to the stands. However, the ball instead ripped off the off-stump and Pakistan started in the best way possible. 

After claiming the wicket, Shaheen pulled off the iconic Shoaib Akhtar "Wing" celebration which he used to do after picking up wickets. Following that breakthrough, Shaheen Afridi scalped 3 more wickets of Jimmy Neesham, Zakary Foulkes, and Ish Sodhi to register figures of 4/30. 

Elsewhere, Usama Mir scalped a brace of wickets while Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim collected a wicket each to restrict the Kiwis to 169. The Green Army levelled the 5-match series at 2-2 with the 9-run win with Shaheen Afridi being adjudged as man of the series for collecting 8 wickets throughout the series.