On 4th November (Saturday), left-arm pacer and Pakistan’s famed bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi set a new record by conceding 90 runs in his 10 overs without clinching any wicket to his name. Leaking runs at 9 per over, he registered the worst-ever bowling figures by a Pakistan bowler in the history of the ODI World Cup.
The previous worst World Cup performance by a Pakistani bowler was Hasan Ali’s 1-84 against India at Old Trafford in 2019. However, in the ongoing game against New Zealand in Bengaluru, Shaheen topped the chart after he was smashed out of the ground by Kiwi all-round Mitchell Santher in the final over of the New Zealand innings.
The Blackcap batting lineup blunted the famed Pakistani bowling and smacked sixes and boundaries at will on either side of the wicket. In total, Shaheen conceded 11 boundaries and two maximums in his full quota of 10 overs and despite batters taking risk, he posed no threat and went wicketless.
Interestingly, this performance comes just a few days after he became the top-ranked ODI bowler for the first time in his career. On Wednesday (1st November), he jumped seven places to dislodge Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood from the top seat in the latest ICC rankings.
With the lone exception of Mohammad Wasim Jr (3-60 in his 10 overs), Pakistan pace battery-led by Shaheen Afridi leaked runs. They never looked threatening to Kiwi batters who posted a mammoth total of 401 for the loss of 6 wickets. Additionally, Haris Rauf also leaked 85 runs in the same match and recorded the second worst-ever figures for a Pakistani bowler.
The dismal performance by the much-hyped left-arm pacer who currently happens to be the Number 1 ODI bowler has revived the debate that players’ game performance at the biggest platform and at crucial stages of games against top-seated teams should be given precedence over cumulative wicket/run tallies that include weaker sides (minnows).
It is important to note that left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been often touted and compared with one of the lethal former left-arm pacers Wasim Akram. Regarding this unfound comparison, former Indian cricketer and ace commentator Ravi Shastri earlier dismissed unwarranted hype around frontline Pakistan bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi and argued that he is just a good new ball bowler and should be read more than what he is.
“Shaheen Shah Afridi koi Wasim Akram nahin hai…usko itna upar nahin chadhana chahiye…thik thak bowler hai…vaisa boliye,” Shastri said while commentating alongside Irfan Pathan abd Jatin Sapru.
Translation – Shaheen Shah Afridi is no Wasim Akram. He is good with the new ball, but apart from that, there’s nothing special. He’s no big deal. You have to accept the truth.
Nevertheless, despite a terrible show by the Pakistani bowling unit, the team is poised to win the match, thanks to gallant batting effort by opener Fakhar Zaman and captain Babar Azam, taking Pakistan’s score to 200-1 in 25.3 overs, when the rains interrupted the play. Pakistan is 21 runs ahead of the score required as per the D/L method and will go on to win the match if the game doesn’t resume from here.