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The cricketing world held its collective breath as India and Pakistan locked horns at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad during the ODI World Cup 2023. Although the match saw Pakistan’s batting line-up fall like a house of cards, one player whom the Green Team’s fans still had hope in was their star pacer Shaheen Afridi. But unfortunately Shaheen’s performance against India was far from impressive, and it prompted a stinging rebuke from many.
Among all, Team India’s former head coach Ravi Shastri also brutally roasted Shaheen for not living up to the expectations and failing to make an impact. Shastri even questioned the validity of comparing Shaheen with a legendary figure in Pakistan cricket.
Shaheen Afridi’s struggles
Often compared to the Pakistan great Wasim Akram, Shaheen has been enduring a challenging phase since his comeback from injury. The left-arm seamer has managed to take just four wickets in three matches of ODI World Cup 2023 so far, a performance that pales in comparison to his potential.
Shaheen shouldered a huge responsibility on his shoulders during the match against India as many fans and cricket pundits expected him to shine on the grand stage, especially against arch-rivals. However, he struggled to find his rhythm and make a significant impact against the Indian batting line-up.
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Ravi Shastri’s scathing critique
As India took the game away from Pakistan during the second innings, Shaheen’s performance came under heavy scrutiny. A respected voice in the cricketing world, Shastri also didn’t hold back in expressing his disappointment and shared his criticism marks on-air during the commentary. He not only questioned the validity of comparing Shaheen with a legendary figure like Wasim Akram but also suggested that Shaheen is merely a good bowler with the new ball and nothing extraordinary.
“When Naseem Shah is not playing, and this is the quality of spin… Shaheen Shah Afridi is no Wasim Akram. He is a good bowler with the new ball and can pick wickets, but there is nothing special about him. He is only a decent bowler. He’s no big deal. You have to accept the truth,” said Shastri.
As far as the match is concerned, Shaheen picked up just two wickets and was clearly not at his best, with Rohit Sharma taking him to the cleaners and guiding India to victory.
