After suffering a series of defeats, Pakistan, led by Babar Azam, finally found their winning rhythm at the ODI World Cup 2023. Following four consecutive losses in the prestigious tournament, the Men in Green faced Bangladesh in the 31st game of the World Cup. Competing against Shakib Al Hasan’s team, Pakistan secured a comfortable seven-wicket victory while successfully chasing down a target of 205 runs.
Notably, the standout performance came from their ace pacer, Shaheen Afridi, who played a pivotal role in their victory. Afridi bowled nine impressive overs in the first innings, conceding just 23 runs and claiming three crucial wickets.
Furthermore, he achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the fastest pacer to reach 100 wickets in ODIs, accomplishing this milestone in only his 51st match. Speaking about his achievements, Afridi acknowledged that records are meant to be broken and credited his success to former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi.
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“Records are meant to be broken, and it’s a happy occasion that we’ve set records for Pakistan. Shahid Afridi always gives us tips; he is my hero. My effort is to play cricket like him,” Shaheen Afridi stated, as quoted by IndiaToday.
Shaheen Afridi also shared his perspective on Pakistan’s goals at the ODI World Cup 2023. He acknowledged that the team’s performance was subpar during their recent losses but expressed confidence after their victory against Bangladesh, emphasizing their commitment to securing a top-four finish.
“We still aim to finish in the top four. Our effort today was to finish the match quickly and improve the net run-rate. We didn’t perform well in the last few matches as a team; there were some costly errors. Some catches were dropped, and better fielding could have led to better results,” Shaheen Afridi commented.
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Looking ahead, Pakistan is preparing to face New Zealand in their next challenge. Both teams will clash in the 35th game of the tournament on Saturday, November 4, as they strive to make their mark in the ODI World Cup 2023.
