Shaheen Afridi Career (Source:@Hesy_R0ck,x.com)
One of the most renowned bowlers of the current Pakistan team, Shaheen Afridi, was born on April 6, 2000, in Landi Kotal, Khyber Agency. He belongs to the Zakhakehl Afridi Tribe, a Pashtun community in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
He was the youngest of the seven brothers. Riaz Afridi, the elder of the seven, has also represented Pakistan in a single Test match in 2004. Ideally, this influenced his journey in the game.
Shaheen Afridi's Cricket Career
The ace pacer began his journey at the Tatara Ground in Landi Kotal, named after the nearby Tatara hills. He was introduced to hard-ball cricket by his brother during the FATA UNDER-16 trials in 2015, and this changed his life forever. After attaining early success at the Under-16 level, he earned a spot for Australia tour in November 2015.
Shaheen Afridi also earned a spot in the Pakistan U-19 cricket team for the 2016 Under-19 Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.
The ace pacer also achieved new heights at the global stage after his successful performance for Pakistan in the 2028 U-19 World Cup campaign. In 2018, he also made his T20 debut for Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
In 2021, the star bowler was also appointed as the captain of the Lahore Qalandars. Under his astute leadership and guidance, the team won the 2022 PSL, and with this win, Afridi became the youngest captain to win a T20 league.
Shaheen Afridi’s International career
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Shaheen Afridi received his first international cap from legendary Pakistani bowler Wasim Akram. (@TheRealPCB)
Shaheen Afridi made his T20I debut on April 3, 2018, against the West Indies. He continued his prowess when he was included in the ODI squad for the 2018 Asia Cup. He made his ODI debut on September 21, 2018, against Afghanistan.
On December 3, 2018, Afridi earned a spot in the Test squad and made his debut in the longest format against New Zealand.
He made a direct impact with his performances in all formats, and with this achievement, he was included in Pakistan's squad for the 2019 World Cup.
On July 5, 2019, against Bangladesh, Shaheen Afridi became the youngest bowler to achieve a five-wicket haul in a World Cup match. He ended with the remarkable figures of 6/35. Another achievement he attained was that the speedster was also appointed as the T20I captain on November 15, 2023.
Shaheen Afridi's T20I Career
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Shaheen Afridi's T20I Career (Source:@ PoppingCreaseSA,x.com)
In 2018, on April 3, Shaheen Afridi made his much-awaited T20I debut against the West Indies. His outstanding performance, that is 4/22, was recorded on November 6, 2022, in the shortest format of the game.
The fast bowler is in 21st position on the list of most wickets in T20I. With a total of 2257 runs, he stands at the 16th position on the list for the most runs conceded in a T20I career.
Shaheen Afridi's ODI Career
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Shaheen Afridi's ODI Career (Source:@mufaddal_vohra,x.com)
Shaheen Afridi made his ODI debut for Pakistan against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on September 21, 2018. He delivered his best ODI performance against Bangladesh at Lord's on July 5, 2019, taking 6/35.
The star bowler ranks 14th on the list of best figures in an innings when on the losing side, achieving 5 wickets against Australia in the World Cup 2023 at Bengaluru on October 20, 2023.
Shaheen Afridi holds the 5th position on the list for the best career strike rate, recording 25.9. He also ranks 29th for the most five-wickets-in-an-innings in a career, achieving this feat three times. He is in the 3rd position on the list for most consecutive five-wickets-in-an-innings.
The bowler also leads the list for the most consecutive four-wickets-in-an-innings, achieving this feat three times in a row.
Shaheen Afridi ranks 8th on the list as the fastest to reach 50 wickets, achieving the milestone in 25 innings. He holds the 4th position on the list as the third-fastest to reach 100 wickets, accomplishing this milestone in 51 innings.
Shaheen Afridi Test Career
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Shaheen Afridi Test Career (Source:@cricketnmore,x.com)
It is a dream for every bowler to play a Test for his country. Shaheen Afridi made his debut on December 3, 2018, against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi. He attained his first five-wicket haul on December 19, 2019, against Sri Lanka in Karachi.
There are several achievements that Shaheen has made in his Test career so far. One such accomplishment is that the star pacer has achieved a 10-wicket haul against the West Indies in Kingston on August 20, 2021.
He also holds the 26th position on the list of the youngest players to take five wickets in an innings at the age of 19 years and 257 days. Shaheen Afridi ranks 23rd on the list of the youngest players to take ten wickets in a match at the age of 21 years and 136 days.
Shaheen Afridi PSL Career
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Shaheen Afridi PSL Career (Source:@Cricjunaizdaily,x.com)
On February 23, 2018, Shaheen Afridi made his T20 debut for Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). One of the most talked-about points about his PSL journey was in 2021, when he was appointed as the Lahore Qalandars captain.
Under his guidance, Qalandars achieved remarkable success by securing the 2022 PSL title. Adding to this, Afridi concluded the tournament as the leading wicket-taker.
In PSL 2025, playing for Qalandars, Shaheen Afridi played 13 matches and scalped 19 wickets with an average of 16.42 and an economy of 7.76.
FAQs - Shaheen Afridi's Career
Q1. How many wickets has Shaheen Afridi taken in Test cricket, and what is his best individual performance?
Answer: Shaheen Afridi has taken 116 wickets in 31 Test matches, with his best individual performance being 6 for 51.
Q2. What accolade did Shaheen Afridi achieve in 2022, making him the first Pakistani to do so?
Answer: Shaheen Afridi became the first Pakistani to win the Garfield Sobers trophy in 2022.
Q3. When did Shaheen Afridi make his T20I debut, and against which team?
Answer: Shaheen Afridi made his T20I debut against West Indies in Karachi on April 3, 2018.
Q4. In which year did Shaheen Afridi achieve the title of Cricketer of the Year by the ICC?
Answer: Shaheen Afridi was named the Cricketer of the Year by the ICC in January 2022.
Q5. How many matches has Shaheen Afridi played in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), and how many wickets has he taken?
Answer: Shaheen Afridi has played 84 matches in the PSL, amassing an impressive tally of 122 wickets.
