Left-arm bowler Shaheen Afridi is a cricket player from Pakistan. He is a native of Landi Kotal, a small settlement in Pakistan’s northwest. Shaheen, the youngest of the family’s seven brothers, has always wanted to play cricket since since he witnessed his older brother, Riaz Afridi, participate in local games and one international test match. Shaheen is referred to as the “Pakistani Mitchell Starc” by the international press, who contrasts him with the Australian fast bowler. The Pakistani cricketer, who is only 17, has a powerful swing and excellent fielding skills, making him an all-around player. Shaheen began playing cricket internationally with the Pakistani “Under-19” team for the 2016 “Asia Cup,” and he did an outstanding job. Later, he was chosen for the “Dhaka Dynamites” team of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). He emerged as his team’s top wicket-taker in the 2018 “Under-19 Cricket World Cup,” and as a result, the “International Cricket Council” (ICC) named him “the rising star of the squad.” He is a talented young player, and it is very likely that in the upcoming months, he will play for Pakistan’s national team.
Early Childhood & Life
It was on April 6, 2000, that Shaheen Afridi was born. He is a member of the “Zakha Khel Tribe,” which is mainly found in Pakistan’s northwestern “Federally Administered Tribal Area” (FATA), not far from the Afghan border. He was raised in a lower-middle-class family in Landi Kothal, a tiny town. Of his seven brothers, he is the youngest. Riaz Afridi, the oldest brother, has pursued a career in cricket for a long time, but he has never achieved success.
Riaz is 15 years older than Shaheen. The brothers played together frequently, using inexpensive bats and tennis balls. Shaheen frequently accompanied his brother to games, which gave him the idea to start a cricket career. They were unable to enjoy the luxury of a proper cricket ground due to their location. Shaheen and the neighborhood boys so played wherever they could.
Shaheen struggled in school and spent the majority of his time playing cricket. He told his parents about his aspirations to play cricket when he was 14 years old. He was initially dubious about his family’s response. His family did not resist too much, though, as he already had a brother who was attempting to pursue a career in the same sport. Shaheen was already aware of the majority of the difficulties that could arise from the sport because his older brother worked in the same field.
To hone his abilities at a professional level, he made the decision to go to Peshawar and enroll in a cricket academy. He was a quick bowler for different clubs there. His big stature and quick bowling style helped him to take multiple wickets, which opened the door for him to enroll in a cricket academy in Lahore. Shaheen and his brother frequently spoke on the phone and he picked his brother’s brain for useful advice.
Shaheen showed his ability to strike the ball powerfully as well. He then began to put in more effort in order to establish himself in the cricketing scene and to become one of the top all-rounders in the globe.
Career of Shaheen Afridi
When his brother first introduced Shaheen Afridi to the real cricket ball at the “FATA Under-16” tryouts in 2015, that was his first experience playing professional cricket and using the “hard ball.” Up until that point, Shaheen had only played with a tennis ball. After holding a professional cricket ball in his hands, he felt powerful and immediately began diligently practicing in the nets.
He eventually experienced his first significant professional breakthrough after being chosen to represent his nation’s “Under-16” squad during their 2015 tour to Australia. He was a key contributor to his team’s 2-1 triumph. This was his first encounter with a foreign terrain. His performance was at best mediocre, but it was good enough for him to be selected for the national “Under-19” squad.
Shaheen joined the Pakistani team in December 2016 in preparation for the 2016 “Under-19 Asia Cup,” which was to be held in Sri Lanka. He grabbed three wickets on his tournament debut against Singapore and only conceded 27 runs. The local and international media then became interested in him as a result. He was immediately heralded as Pakistani cricket’s “next great thing.”
Shaheen’s performance greatly delighted Mustaq Ahmed, the head coach at Lahore’s “National Cricket Academy,” who forwarded videos of Shaheen’s bowling to Kumar Sangakkara, the master player from Sri Lanka. As a result, he was added to the “BPL” as a member of the “Dhaka Dynamites.” He, therefore, became one of the first athletes to play in the “BPL” without ever having participated in a domestic match. Although he agreed to a two-year deal, his other obligations prevented him from staying with the “Dhaka Dynamites” for an extended period of time.
In the 2017–18 “Quaid-e-Azam Trophy,” he was recalled to play first-class cricket for “Khan Research Laboratories.” On September 26, 2017, he made his first-class debut. He collected eight wickets while conceding 39 runs. His was the best bowling performance by a Pakistani bowler in a first-class debut match, and the local media warmly praised him for it.
Shaheen was nearly guaranteed to be among the front-runners in the competition for a position in the national “Under-19” team, which was to compete in the “Under-19 World Cup,” after her outstanding performance. Shaheen referred to his selection as his childhood dream to play for his country’s squad.
Shaheen exceeded Pakistani popular expectations during the “Under-19 World Cup,” and with 12 wickets overall, he finished the competition as Pakistan’s top wicket-taker. The “ICC” named him the “rising star of the squad” as a result of his success in the competition. Some have also compared him to Shahid Afridi, whose international career also got off to an exciting start.
Individual Life of Shaheen Afridi
Shaheen Afridi is a tremendous fan of his brother Riaz Afridi, who represented Pakistan in a 2004 friendly test match. Even though Wasim Akram is his “guru,” according to reports, Shaheen claims that his brother Riaz has always backed and advised him anytime Shaheen needed quick advice.
Estimated net worth
In 2022, Shaheen Afridi will be valued at $7 million. His estimated net worth in rupees is 55 crores. His net worth is influenced by the money he makes playing in domestic competitions, the IPL, the BCCI, endorsements, and commercials.