Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi fired a blistering twenty-eight ball fifty against Quetta Gladiators yesterday to send a strong message to his critics. The fiery half-century came a day after legendary pacer Wasim Akram questioned Shaheen's all-round credentials.
Lahore Qalandars, enduring a disappointing PSL campaign so far, found themselves in early trouble at 42-3. That's when their captain Shaheen walked out to bat and took the attack to the opposition. He smashed 6 fours and 2 sixes in his knock of 54, spearheading Lahore's recovery. When he reached his milestone, Shaheen celebrated by putting his finger on his lips in a ‘shush' gesture, making it clear he had something to say to his doubters.
Akram had criticized Shaheen for promoting himself above better hitters in the previous match. However, the young speedster responded perfectly with a breathtaking assault. His innings lifted Lahore to a competitive total, giving them a chance to break their winless drought.
While wickets continue to elude him with the ball this season, Shaheen showed he means business with the bat through his match-winning effort. He proved his prowess and silenced the critics in the best way possible. With performances like these, Shaheen reminds everyone why he remains one of cricket's most exciting multi-dimensional talents.
