Shaheen Afridi: Pakistan on the Verge of T20 World Cup Triumph
Shaheen Afridi, the left-arm speedster, is confident that Pakistan is on the brink of securing their second Men’s T20 World Cup title.
In a recent interview with the PCB Podcast, Afridi expressed his belief that Pakistan’s hard work and dedication will soon pay off, following their near misses in the 2021 and 2022 editions of the tournament.
“It’s not possible that you put in the hard yards, and you don’t get the results. Like Lahore Qalandars put in the hard work for six years [in PSL],” Afridi said. “They did the player development program as well and despite finishing at the bottom in the early years, they won back-to-back tournaments recently. And the Pakistan team is in a similar process, we’re very close to achieving [T20] World Cup glory.”
Afridi reflected on the previous two tournaments, where Pakistan performed well but stumbled at the final stages. He played a pivotal role in both contests, but unfortunate circumstances led to Pakistan’s defeat.
In the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final, Afridi was hit hard by Matthew Wade in the 19th over, leading to Australia’s victory. In the 2022 final, an injury prevented him from completing his spell against England, contributing to Pakistan’s loss.
Despite these setbacks, Afridi remains optimistic about Pakistan’s chances in the upcoming tournament.
“Our efforts during the World Cup is to play in a united fashion. This isn’t a time for disagreements. Everyone should follow the same process in a united way to achieve a singular goal,” Afridi said, echoing the words of newly appointed white-ball coach Gary Kirsten, who emphasized team play over individual performances.
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Afridi also reminisced about Pakistan’s historic maiden T20 World Cup win against India in 2021, where he played a crucial role. He revealed that he sought advice from Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi before the game.
“I called up Lala (Shahid Afridi) as his performance has always been the best against India. He advised me not to take any pressure, and to give my best. To ensure that my presence is felt on the field, to give my best in all departments: bowling, batting or fielding,” Afridi said.
Afridi’s performance in that match, where he took the wickets of India’s top-order batters, was instrumental in turning the game in Pakistan’s favor.
“If you pick the first three wickets against any side, you essentially break their back because the top three are very important to set the tone,” he said.
After losing to Pakistan in 2021, India won their rematch in 2022 with a brilliant 82* from Kohli. The two sides are set to face off again in the 2024 event on June 9 in New York.