In his debut BPL season, Shaheen Shah Afridi failed to pick up a wicket in his first two matches. However, on Monday in Sylhet’s small ground, he finally broke through, claiming two scalps.
After leaving the dressing room and walking to the press conference room on the other side of the ground, Shaheen had to pause several times to pose for photos with fans. Even the remaining spectators in the gallery erupted in cheers at the sight of him. That’s the level of his popularity. With few major stars participating in this year’s BPL, Afridi stands out as one of the brightest. However, until this game, his performances hadn’t lived up to expectations.
In his first match, Afridi conceded 33 runs in four overs without taking a wicket. In the second, he gave away 31 runs in three overs, again wicketless. For someone of Afridi’s caliber, known for his fiery bowling with both the new and old ball, these were underwhelming starts.
But on Monday, in Sylhet’s first match of the phase, Afridi finally lived up to some of the high expectations. Despite the batting-friendly pitch and significantly shortened boundaries, Afridi delivered a stellar performance against Durbar Rajshahi, giving away just 20 runs and taking two crucial wickets in his four overs.
After the game, Afridi shrugged off the pressure of those wicketless performances.
“I’ve been playing for seven years. I don’t feel any pressure. I don’t dwell on the past or think about the future. I try to stay in the present. Whether I get wickets or not, I don’t focus on that. My process remains the same,” said Afridi.
“Wickets are not something you can control. Still, I managed to pick up two wickets here despite the small ground. Whether I get wickets or not, following the process is what matters. That’s what we aim to do.”
Having already played in leagues like the ILT20, The Hundred, and the T20 Blast, this is Afridi’s first experience in the BPL. So far, it’s been a memorable one for the 24-year-old pacer.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it so far. The people of Bangladesh love cricket. Their passion is evident from the way every corner of the stadium fills up. You feel the support everywhere. Overall, it’s been a great experience,” Afridi said.
Afridi and his team will be back in action on Tuesday in Sylhet, this time against the Sylhet Strikers.
