Jason Gillespie: “I love watching him bowl. The old fast bowler in me, I just love watching good fast bowling and great fast bowling, and I certainly put Shaheen in that category. I love watching him bowling, he runs in and bowls [with] really good pace”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie has admitted that he loves watching Pakistan left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi in action as he “runs in and bowls [with] really good pace.”
Afridi, who was recently removed as T20I captain, is Pakistan’s pace spearhead in all three formats despite only being 24 years old.
Describing himself as someone who appreciates good, old-fashioned fast bowling, Gillespie admitted this is what stands out to him about Afridi.
“I love watching him bowl. The old fast bowler in me, I just love watching good fast bowling and great fast bowling, and I certainly put Shaheen in that category. I love watching him bowling, he runs in and bowls [with] really good pace,” the 48-year-old, who could reportedly be appointed as Pakistan’s head coach in Tests, told PakPassion.
Afridi recently captained the Lahore Qalandars in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and took 14 wickets in nine matches at an average of 22.14 and an economy rate of 8.61.
He is now playing in Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand and has taken four wickets in three games at an average of 12.50 and an economy rate of 7.31.
Pakistan find themselves 2-1 down in the series ahead of the fifth T20I, which will be held in Lahore on April 27.
Pakistan Squad for New Zealand T20I Series: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan
Non-travelling reserves: Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha
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