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"Nothing special": Shaheen reacts to nerve-wracking Pakistan win on ODI captaincy debut

Akshita Patel

Shaheen Afridi begins ODI captaincy journey with a win [Source: AFP Photos]Shaheen Afridi begins ODI captaincy journey with a win [Source: AFP Photos]

Faisalabad witnessed a thrilling return of ODI cricket. Pakistan, under their new captain, Shaheen Afridi, sealed a tense two-wicket victory over South Africa in the first match of the three-game series at the Iqbal Stadium on Tuesday.

Chasing 264 under lights, Pakistan’s innings swung between hope and heartbreak before Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha guided them home with gritty half-centuries. 

Rizwan anchored the innings with a composed 55 off 74 balls, while Salman’s fearless 62 from 71 deliveries helped Pakistan cross the line with just two balls to spare. 

Shaheen Afridi thanks the Faisalabad crowd for showing up

Meanwhile, for Shaheen Afridi, who was leading the ODI side for the first time, the victory was more than just a result. It was a statement. 

Calm and composed at the post-match presentation, the left-arm pacer played down his captaincy debut, saying he was focused on keeping things simple.

"No, I think it was a normal game for me. Nothing special, just went about it the usual way. We thought there will be dew later on and we can take advantage early on," Afridi said.

The young skipper also promised that the team would learn from the tense moments during the chase and tighten up in the upcoming matches.

"The way the ball swung and spun in the second innings. The batters did well to tackle that. They showed why experience matters," he added.

He also thanked Faisalabad for showing up as international returns to that part of the country after a long while.

"That always happens, we will try it won't happen again. Thanks to Faisalabad. After a long time international cricket returned here and they came in large numbers."

The victory gives Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the series and marks a strong start to Shaheen Afridi’s ODI captaincy journey. 

He was previously appointed as the T20I captain in early 2024. However, after just one series against New Zealand, PCB moved on from him.

Regardless, this time, Shaheen Afridi will hope for a longer rope to prove himself as captaincy material.