Pace king to power-hitter: How Shaheen Afridi is building his all-rounder legacy

Soumyajit Dutta

Shaheen Afridi batting [Source: @Iam_hassan10/X.com]Shaheen Afridi batting [Source: @Iam_hassan10/X.com]

Shaheen Afridi, the left-arm pace menace from Pakistan, has been a threat with the ball since his national debut back in 2018. From troubling world-class batters to delivering match-winning spells in crucial encounters, Shaheen has been a key figure for Pakistan's setup for the last 7 years.

However, what is more intimidating for the bowler now is his transition as a new hero for Pakistan with the bat. While the world of cricket has seen rare instances where hardcore bowlers transition to all-rounders (especially pacers), Shaheen can stand as yet another example. Let's take a look at how he can be a new batting firepower for the Men in Green.

Shaheen's inception as a batter in PSL

Shaheen Shah Afridi, who stands tall with his glorious tally in bowling, first rose with the bat during the PSL. Throughout his span of 84 matches in PSL since 2018, Afridi managed 359 runs at an average of 11.58. Nothing special, right? Yet, there's something that calls for his heroics. 

In 2022, Shaheen's first significant knock came with an unbeatable 39 against Peshawar Zalmi, which helped his team, Lahore Qalandars, end the match in a tie.

The next knock? A gritty 52 against Zalmi again in the year 2023, where he promoted himself up the order to come and bat at No. 6 above all-rounder Sikandar Raza. A bold move indeed, but it didn't pay off despite Shaheen striking at the rate of 144.44 from 36 balls as Qalandars lost the chase.

The lower-order batting hero

Format/Tournament
Matches
Runs
Strike Rate
Highest Score
PSL84359134.4555
T20I90279129.7633*
ODI6627285.8025
Test3124944.7829*

(Shaheen Afridi's batting stats)

The most significant power hitting from Shaheen came during the PSL Final 2023 against Multan Sultans, where he made 44 unbeaten runs from just 15 balls. He hit 5 massive sixes and 2 boundaries to cap off his inning, which helped Qalandars push their total to 200.

Since PSL 2023, Shaheen started pushing himself with the bat in the next season, where he played two significant knocks of 30 off 14 and 55 off 34, capping off 2025 as the only year where he didn't perform well with the bat.

On the international stage, Shaheen showed promise with his 29 against Bangladesh in a Test match in 2024. He also scored 24 runs off 19 balls against a searing Australian pace attack in 2024 at Melbourne. Another notable performance in 2024 stands with his 22 off 13 against New Zealand, where he boasts a strike rate of 169.23.

Recent Asia Cup heroics

In the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, Shaheen Afridi has been a star performer with the bat for Pakistan, averaging 64.00 at a strike rate of 206.45 from three matches.

Against India, Shaheen scored 29 runs off 14 balls to pace the Men in Green's innings and escalate them to 171 runs. Against the UAE, Shaheen scored a good 29 off 14 to salvage a crumbling Pakistan against a weaker UAE side.

Conclusion: Can Shaheen be the man he wants to be?

Shaheen Afridi's batting graph since his debut [Source: OneCricket]Shaheen Afridi's batting graph since his debut [Source: OneCricket]

Fast-bowling all-rounders are not uncommon in Pakistan. The legendary Imran Khan, Azhar Mahmood, Aamer Jamal and even Faheem Ashraf are great examples. However, someone who stands shoulder to shoulder in pace bowling prowess with world-class bowlers and also has the ability to hit big could be a potent option for Pakistan to have.

Shaheen Afridi has shown occasional blasts with the bat as seen in the graph too. His consistency is doubtful though, but to prove his point, the Men in Green should give him more chances up the order. Is it possible for Afridi to become a quick bowling all-rounder? Yes. He shows potential to hit big, but it only depends on how Pakistan sees him with the bat and how frequently he becomes the 'messiah' of the team with the bat.