Pakistan’s one of the best fast bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi, remembered his team’s remarkable victory against rivals India during the 2021 T20I World Cup in the UAE. Shaheen played a crucial role with a three-wicket haul, leading the Men in Green to a convincing 10-wicket triumph over the Virat Kohli-led side.
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss in the Super 12 clash, Pakistan made a strategic decision. Shaheen Shah Afridi took control immediately by dismissing Indian openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma in the first and third overs, respectively. He then secured the crucial wicket of Virat Kohli, who contributed 57 runs to the scorecard.
Shaheen Shah Afridi on the Vicotry:
In the end, Pakistan successfully restricted the Men in Blue to a total of 151. Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan showcased unbeaten performances, scoring 68 and 79 respectively. Their stellar partnership ensured Pakistan achieved victory with all 10 wickets.
The Player of the Match, Shaheen Shah Afridi recalled Pakistan’s victory. During that, he also shared insights into the advice he sought before the game. Despite the loss in the semifinal against Australia, Shaheen described that big win as “memorable.” Preferably, this victory marked Pakistan’s first victory against India in any World Cup match, breaking a streak of 12 consecutive losses.
Shaheen said, “We had never defeated India in the T20 World Cup before. The 2021 edition was very memorable for us! I phoned Lala (Shahid Afridi) and took advice from him. We also wanted to win for Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez”.
Following his standout performance in the 2021 World Cup, Shaheen Shah Afridi emerged as Pakistan’s primary new-ball choice across all formats. In November 2023, he took on the captaincy of Pakistan’s T20I side as Babar Azam stepped down after a disappointing ODI World Cup in India. Leading the team for the first time in a five-game away T20I series against New Zealand, Shaheen faced the setback of a 4-1 defeat, missing the opportunity to secure victory in his debut series as captain.
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