Top 3 Bowling Spells By Shaheen Afridi Against Australia
Shaheen Shah Afridi has claimed 46 wickets across formats against Australia [X.com]
A bowler who has climbed the ladders of international cricket quite rapidly is Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Afridi much like former great Wasim Akram, relies on swing bowling — conventional and reserve — which makes him a lethal prospect for the opposition.
However, of late a recurring knee injury and excessive workload have hampered Afridi's consistency, pace, and bowling, which has been a concern in the Asia Cup 2023, World Cup 2023, and the ongoing three-Test tour of Australia, where unthinkably, Team Pakistan opted to rest the pacer from the New Year Test in Sydney.
Afridi's track record against Australia has been fairly impressive, given how well the batters play pace and bounce. Across formats in 17 matches, the 23-year-old swing bowler has scalped 46 wickets at an economy of 3.82, with one five-wicket haul.
Shaheen Shah Afridi vs Australia
| Format | Matches | Wickets |
|---|---|---|
| Test | 7 | 22 |
| ODI | 4 | 13 |
| T20I | 6 | 11 |
In this article, we at OneCricket list down the Top 3 Afridi spells against Australia.
5/54, World Cup 2023 vs Australia, Bangalore 2023
Shaheen Afridi claimed his maiden five-wicket haul against Australia [X.com]
In a high-profile encounter in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at Bangalore, Pakistan went up against Australia, who were struggling for momentum.
Shaheen Afridi bowled a thoughtful first over, which yielded just six runs, where the bowler mixed his line and did not let batters adjust. Afridi remained unscathed from the Australian onslaught that other bowlers faced, given just 14 runs in his first spell.
Afridi stopped Australia's rampaging first-wicket stand by nabbing Mitchell Marsh for 121 and picked the dangerous Glenn Maxwell on the next ball, pinning opponents surge down.
In his final spell, with wickets behind his back, Afridi came into his own and nailed almost every delivery, clinching wickets of Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood to pick up his maiden five-wicket haul against six-time World Cup winners.
Match Result: Pakistan Lost
3 for 37, T20I Tri-Series vs Australia, Harare 2018
Shaheen Shah Afridi claimed three wickets against Australia in his second T20I [X.com]
Fresh from starring in the ICC Under19 World Cup 2018, Pakistan picked up Shaheen Shah Afridi from a T20I Tri-Nation Series in Zimbabwe, which featured the hosts and Australia.
Having qualified for the final, Pakistan opted to throw Afridi into the pit of fire against an in-form Australian side, where the bowler displayed his talent for the first time in international cricket.
Afridi, 18, stepped up to the plate with Pakistan defending 195 on a cold and chilly Harare evening. The bowler claimed his first wicket in the form of Aaron Finch, who fell against an incoming delivery that found the inside edge of the bat and followed it soon with an in-dipper against Glenn Maxwell, which witnessed the explosive all-rounder get leg-before.
Afridi's final wicket of the match demonstrated the bowler's acumen, who utilised the bowling crease and used the angle to get rid of D'Arcy Short, who played the wrong line, and got his leg stump uprooted.
Match Result: Pakistan Won
4 for 63, 2nd ODI vs Australia, Lahore 2022
Shaheen Shah Afridi celebrates Aaron Finch's wicket [X.com]
With Pakistan trailing 0-1, it needed to clinch the second ODI to remain alive in the three-match series, and that is when Shaheen Shah Afridi came to the side's rescue once again.
Afridi knocked over captain Aaron Finch for a one-ball duck, in his own fashion, where a late swinging delivery found the batter's pads, which looked as out as getting bowled. The bowler remained economical in his first spell, giving just 25 runs, while others went for plenty.
Afridi did give away runs in his second spell, where a well-settled Australian batter charged against the left arm.
However, Afridi made an impressive comeback in the death overs, pinching Australia for runs bowling in the right areas while operating the change of pace to his advantage.
Afridi first claimed Cameron Green for 5, then had Marcus Stoinis caught at long-off for 49 before picking his fourth wicket of Sean Abbott, who scored a quick-fire 28.
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