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Shaheen Shah Afridi: Pakistan’s promising bowler had no answers to Tim Seifert’s blitzkrieg during the second T20I between New Zealand Vs Pakistan.
Shaheen Shah Afridi has become Pakistan’s favourite punching bag and it was no different when the pacer was smashed for 4 sixes by New Zealand’s Tim Seifert in second T20I. (X screengrab)
“SHAHEEN SHAH AFRIDI WITH THE NEW BALL, IN THE MIDDLE, WITH THE OLD BALL. THE BEST BOWLER IN THE WORLD,” an ‘X’ (previously Twitter) user from Pakistan captioned their post dedicated to Shaheen Shah Afridi. The post was complete with a photograph of the premier Pakistan pacer in action during a practise session. It’s all love and respect. “Shaheen Shah Afridi is a useless third class bowler,” wrote angered user from other side of the border two years later. Ek dam se waqt dadal diye jazbaat badal diye zindagi dadal di comes to mind. If there is something we all can collectively learn from the cricket fans in Pakistan it is that nobody escapes their zalalat. You could be the Babar Azam or the Mohammad Rizwan of the country. But if you do not bring victory on a day, you can quietly sit down and embrace the roasting by your very own. It’s deeply ingrained in their culture, you know. Take Wasim Akram or Shoaib Akhtar for one. When their country wins, it’s all roses. But a loss turns even the legends of the game into full-fledged Continue ranting about the quality of gulab jamuns served at a wedding. That’s cricket for you. You are a hero one day, the next day you could be disowned by the ones that once felt pride calling you theirs.
So how exactly has Shaheen Shah Afridi, the most promising young pacer to emerge from Pakistan, found himself in a social media storm?
Tim Seifert Unleashed
“Fraud,” “overrated,” “worst bowler.” Some of the choiciest words were attached to the name of Afridi on Tuesday when New Zealand defeated Pakistan in the second T20I by 5 wickets. Chasing stiff 136 at their home in a rain-reduced game of 15 overs, Kiwi opener Tim Seifert unleashed himself. Unfortunately, Afridi was on the receiving end. All this after left-arm pacer kept Seifert quiet in the first over that went run-less.
Returning to bowl the third over, Afridi got belted. His over read: 6 6 0 2 6 6. His face went pale.
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Seifert took Afridi to town with four towering sixes, with the first one measuring a mammoth 119 metres.
(Photo posted by @mufaddal_vohra / X)
Afridi leaked 22 runs as the pacer looked absolutely clueless to off the leash Seifert.
Pakistanis React
This isn’t about a YouTuber from Pakistan. Nope. Afridi’s over became the decisive moment in the match as the momentum quickly shifted in favour of New Zealand and Seifert’s 45 off 22, for which he was awarded Player of the Match, helped the Kiwis reach the target with 11 deliveries to spare. The victory also meant that the home team New Zealand now lead the on-going 5-match T20I series by 2-0.
The aftermath was felt on ‘X’.
“First half of 2024 was a nightmare but we redeemed ourselves by beating England, Australia & South Africa, and I thought Oh okay we’re so back & things will be good now. But 2025 is proving even worse,” wrote one upset fan.
“Intent means positive mindset not tullay bazi,” quipped another.
“Father in law played 390 plus matches based upon 10 performances. Son in Law played 100 plus matches based upon 3 performances. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and #BabarAzam are permanent BOTTLENECKS of Pakistan Cricket #PAKvNZ”, wrote third.
No Alien To Trolling
The Pakistani pacer was mocked for “wasting” the team’s review during India Vs Pakistan contest in the recently-concluded Champions Trophy 2025. Facing Kuldeep Yadav in the 42nd over just after Salman Agha’s dismissal, Afridi was caught stranded in front of the wickets. A plumb LBW to the naked eye, Afridi asked to go upstairs. Three reds quickly flashed and the bowler was left red-faced.
All you need in life is the kind of confidence Shaheen Afridi had when taking that review.— Syed Aleem (@aleem_1690) February 23, 2025
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Previously, an alleged video of Afridi calling his fellow teammate Babar azam “Zimbu” had surfaced on social media platform ‘X’. The video from October 2024 during 1st Test between England and Pakistan caught the eye of fans who felt that Afridi had crossed the line with his alleged remark. “Zimbu” or “Zimbabar” was in reference to Azam’s big numbers against weaker teams such as Zimbabwe.
Ravi Shastri gives verdict
Known to mince no words, Ravi Shastri, seated in the commentary box urged watchers of the sport to stop hyping the Pakistani pacer.
“People tell me that Pakistan have a resounding bowling attack. Nakli baat hai ye sab (It’s all a lie). It’s not good and you have to accept that. You don’t have Naseem Shah at the moment, neither you got a quality spin attack,” Shastri said on air during India Vs Pakistan match in 2023 ODI World Cup. A match that hosts India won comprehensively by 7 wickets and 117 deliveries to spare while chasing the target of 192 set by Pakistan, Shastri’s criticism of the bowler continued in the comm box.
“Shaheen Shah Afridi koi Wasim Akram nahi hai (Shaheen Shah Afridi is no Wasim Akram). I agree that he bowls with the new ball and picks up wickets but no need to give him that kind of hype. Something which is ok, you have to call it ok. No need to give them too much importance because this attack is not the best one,” he added.
Memes Are Temporary
An Indian cricket fan, located anywhere in the world, will remember Afridi’s lethal spell against his arch-rivals. Not that anyone needs a refresher of the horror show that it was but Afridi was instrumental in Pakistan’s victory when he scalped three wickets for 31 runs. His wickets? Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli. It was top drawer stuff. One that gave us, Indians, sleepless nights. A match that India lost by 10 wickets in the T20I World Cup.
Afridi, who became the first Pakistani to be awarded with ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year in 2022, put that spell as his most memorable one.
Creates History
In 2024, Afridi entered the history books when he became the first Pakistani bowler and fourth overall in the world to uproot 100 wickets in all three formats of the game. He achieved this during the first T20I in the three-match series against South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban.
The same year, Afridi reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Men’s ODI Bowler Rankings. The No.1 position earned by him was his brilliant outing with the ball in victorious series against Australia. He claimed eight wickets across three games at remarkable average of 12.62.
Afridi, 24 years old now, made his debut for Pakistan in Karachi on April 3, 2018. He has 116 Test wickets, 127 wickets in ODI, and a hundred wickets in T20I to his name. The cricketer can surprisingly be effective with the bat when it comes to handy cameos.
