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Premier Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi expressed his aspiration to play cricket fearlessly, drawing inspiration from the former legendary all-rounder and captain, Shahid Afridi. Shaheen achieved a significant milestone in his career on October 31, becoming the fastest paceman to claim 100 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs) in just his 51st match.
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This remarkable feat was accomplished when Shaheen dismissed Tanzid Hasan Tamim during Pakistan's World Cup 2023 encounter against Babar Azam's team at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The talented speedster had a stellar performance during the match, concluding with impressive figures of 9-1-23-3. Currently, he shares the title of the highest wicket-taker in the ongoing tournament, boasting 16 wickets.
"Records are meant to be broken, and it's a happy occasion that we've set records for Pakistan," Shaheen was quoted as saying after the match, Geo Sports reported.
"Shahid Afridi always gives us tips; he is my hero. My effort is to play cricket like him," he stated.
Shaheen candidly acknowledged that Pakistan's initial World Cup journey was challenging, marked by four consecutive defeats against India, Australia, South Africa, and Afghanistan. However, following their convincing seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh, Shaheen expressed newfound confidence in Pakistan's ability to advance to the semi-finals.
"We still aim to finish in the top four. Our effort today was to finish the match quickly and improve the net run-rate," Shaheen said.
"We didn't perform well in the last few matches as a team; there were some costly errors. Some catches were dropped, and better fielding could have led to better results," he added.
Presently ranked fifth in the tournament's table with six points and a net run rate of -0.024, Pakistan's next challenge awaits them in a clash against New Zealand on November 4 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. With the team's spirits seemingly on the rise and the emergence of players like Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan's prospects for a successful World Cup campaign appear promising.
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