Shaheen Shah Afridi: “Virat Kohli is a different player, but Hashim bhai, he’s the toughest. Absolute toughest”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi said the “absolute toughest” batsman he ever bowled to was legendary South Africa cricketer Hashim Amla.
In fact, Afridi found it so difficult bowling to Amla that he even put the 42-year-old above India batting icon Virat Kohli.
Amla represented South Africa in 124 Tests and scored 9,282 runs, which included 28 centuries and 41 fifties, at an average of 46.64.
He also played 181 ODIs and amassed 8,113 runs, which included 27 hundreds and 39 half-centuries, at an average of 49.46.
As for his T20I career, the Durban native accumulated 1,277 runs in 44 matches, which included eight fifties, at an average of 33.60.
“Hashim Amla. I’ve played Test matches and ODIs against him, and he’s a tough competitor. I have also played a match against him in the Vitality Blast – a Twenty20 cricket tournament in England. I felt that he’s a very good batsman, and he is very good at what he does,” Afridi said on the Bricks to Riches podcast as quoted by A Sports.
“Virat Kohli is a different player, but Hashim bhai, he’s the toughest. Absolute toughest.”
Afridi was recently in action in Pakistan’s T20I tri-series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan, where he took four wickets in four games at an average of 19.50 and an economy rate of 5.57.
He is now playing in the 2025 Asia Cup and has continued to do well, claiming nine wickets in six matches at an average of 16 and an economy rate of 6.91.
Pakistan triumphed over Oman and the UAE in the group stage, but lost to India as well.
They failed to beat India again in the Super Four, but still managed to reach the final after downing Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
The Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan will take place on September 28 in Dubai.
Pakistan squad for UAE T20I tri-series and 2025 Asia Cup: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem
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