Overview:
Recent outings against West Indies and in the tri-series, however, have shown glimpses of the old Shaheen.
Shaheen Shah Afridi has rediscovered his rhythm after a difficult period. The Pakistan fast bowler, who had struggled for consistency since the 2022 T20 World Cup, produced impressive performances in the recent tri-series. Legendary pacer Wasim Akram is eager to see Shaheen in action in the Asia Cup 2025.
Shaheen grabbed global attention during the 2021 T20 World Cup when he tore through India’s top order with a devastating spell. But a ligament injury sidelined him for several months.
Although he returned for the 2022 T20 World Cup, he struggled to regain his sharpness and never looked the same bowler. The next two years proved challenging for both Pakistan cricket and Shaheen personally.
Recent outings against West Indies and in the tri-series, however, have shown glimpses of the old Shaheen. His pace and movement once again unsettled batters, leaving Akram optimistic about his impact in the Asia Cup.
“Shaheen Shah Afridi looks firmly back in rhythm. I watched him recently and he was charging in every delivery, consistently hitting 140kph, which is more than enough for me,” Akram said.
“What I want from him now is to focus on both his bowling and batting. He’s still young, and at times he gets frustrated or upset too quickly. He should allow things to fall into place,” he added.
Pakistan will begin their campaign on Friday, 12 September, against Oman, followed by the high-profile clash with India two days later.
Captain Salman Agha has said that the squad is ready even without Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. He stressed that the team intend to play fearless cricket.