Shaheen Shah Afridi backstabbed by his Mohammad Hafeez for Naseem Shah
Published - 05 Mar 2024, 05:39 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:27 AM
Former Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez recently made a sensational claim involving young fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi. Mohammad Hafeez stated that Naseem Shah had more impact in the first over of the match than Shaheen Afridi.
Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi are currently representing teams in the ongoing edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024. Afridi has taken nine wickets in six matches at an average of 23. The left-arm pacer is also leading the Lahore Qalandars in the PSL 2024.
On the other hand, Naseem Shah has taken eight wickets in six matches at an average of 23 and an impressive economy rate of 7.67. He made a professional return during the PSL 2024 after undergoing shoulder surgery. He is currently representing Islamabad United.
Naseem Shah’s Impact Is More Than Shaheen Afridi – Mohammad Hafeez
Mohammad Hafeez praised Naseem Shah‘s performance, noting that his impact in the opener could surpass that of Shaheen Afridi, who is considered world-class. Hafeez said that Naseem has been exceptionally influential over the past few months.
“Naseem Shah’s impact in the first over of the match is more than Shaheen Afridi. Shaheen is world-class, but Naseem has had more impact than anyone in the world in the last 7-8 months,” Mohammad Hafeez said.
Naseem Shah has been a regular member of Pakistan’s bowling attack across formats in recent times. The right-arm pacer’s absence was evident during the ODI World Cup 2023, where the Men in Green failed to advance to the knockout stages of the event in India.
Very Difficult For Me To Watch The Matches On TV – Naseem Shah
Naseem Shah recently expressed his frustration over missing the 2023 ODI World Cup due to injury. Shah described the agony of watching the matches on TV while recovering from surgery, feeling a strong desire to be on the field with his teammates.
“It was very difficult for me to watch the matches on TV, when you know that you belong on the ground with the rest of the team. I hardly saw any matches because I just could not bear watching them. My hand was in a sling after surgery and I used to randomly wake up at night thinking that the injury has healed,” Naseem Shah said in an interview with CricWick.
“When you are stuck in a room for a long period, you tend to feel down mentally, and you tend to feel frustrated,” he added.
Naseem, who was the key player in the Asia Cup, suffered a severe shoulder injury during the tournament, sidelining him from subsequent events. The pacer was unable to participate in the red-ball tour of Australia, leaving Pakistan struggling in his absence.
The 21-year-old made his international debut at just 16 years old. He has showcased his talent in multiple T20 World Cups for Pakistan. He has played in 17 Tests, 14 ODIs, and 19 T20Is, taking 51 wickets, 32 wickets, and 15 wickets in three formats, respectively.
