AI Simulation, PAK vs AFG | Pakistan maintains unbeaten streak in tri-series after win against Afghanistan
As per ChatGPT, Pakistan will beat Afghanistan by five wickets in the fourth game of the UAE T20I tri-series and continue their unbeaten streak in the tournament. While Shaheen Afridi's spell helped restrict the Afghans to a below-par score, Saim Ayub impressed with the bat once again.
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International career
Shaheen Afridi was born on April 6, 2000. He is a Pakistani international cricketer and a left-arm fast bowler. He started playing for Pakistan in 2018 and quickly became an important player. In 2021, he won the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year award and became the first Pakistani to receive the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy. He played a key role in the 2019 Cricket World Cup. As captain, Shaheen led Lahore Qalandars to win the Pakistan Super League titles in 2022 and 2023, the first team to defend the championship. Later, he led them to win again in 2025, becoming the first captain to win three PSL titles.
2018
- March: Named in Pakistan’s T20I squad for the West Indies series.
- April 3: Made T20I debut vs. West Indies.
- September: Selected for Pakistan’s ODI squad for the Asia Cup.
- September 21: Made ODI debut vs. Afghanistan.
- November: Named in Pakistan’s Test squad for New Zealand series.
- December 3: Made Test debut vs. New Zealand.
2019
- April: Included in Pakistan’s squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
- July 5: Took 6 wickets for 35 runs vs. Bangladesh in World Cup, youngest bowler with a five-wicket haul in World Cup history and best figures by a Pakistani in World Cup matches.
- After World Cup: ICC named him rising star of Pakistan’s squad.
- December: Took first five-wicket haul in Test cricket vs. Sri Lanka.
2020
- June: Named in a 29-man squad for Pakistan’s England tour during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- July: Shortlisted in Pakistan’s 20-man Test squad for England series.
2021
- September: Named in Pakistan’s squad for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
2022
- January: Awarded ICC Cricketer of the Year.
- Recorded 78 wickets in 36 international matches in 2021.
2023
- October: Took a five-wicket haul vs. Australia in the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
- Finished World Cup with 18 wickets in 9 matches, sixth highest wicket-taker.
- October 31: Became fastest Pakistani bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets and fastest pacer overall, achieving this in 51 matches.
- November 15: Appointed Pakistan’s T20I captain after Babar Azam resigned from captaincy in all formats.
2024
- May: Named in Pakistan’s squad for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
- December: Reached 100 wickets in T20Is against South Africa, becoming third Pakistani to do so.
- Became the first Pakistani and youngest bowler to take 100 wickets in all three international formats.
Career Statistics to Date:
- Test Matches: 31 played, 116 wickets, average 27.89, economy rate 3.15, best bowling 6/51.
- ODIs: 64 played, 127 wickets, average 24.37, economy rate 5.65, best bowling 6/35.
- T20Is: 79 played, 102 wickets, average 22.13, economy rate 7.90, best bowling 4/22.
ICC Rankings:
- Test bowling: 22nd place with 641 points.
- ODI bowling: 11th place with 601 points.
- T20 bowling: 35th place with 552 points.
Shaheen Afridi made his T20 debut for Lahore Qalandars on February 23, 2018. Soon after, he took five wickets for four runs against Multan Sultans and was named player of the match. In December 2021, Afridi became captain of Lahore Qalandars, a role suggested by Imran Khan. Under his leadership, the team won the 2022 PSL, and he was the tournament’s top wicket-taker.
In 2023, Afridi continued as captain and led Lahore Qalandars to first place in the league stage with seven wins. The team won the final against Multan Sultans by one run. Afridi took 19 wickets in 12 matches and scored 56 runs in one game against Peshawar Zalmi.
In the 2024 season, Afridi remained captain but the team finished last, with only one win in 10 matches. Afridi took 14 wickets with an economy rate of 8.61. He took two wickets in a match at Rawalpindi Stadium against Islamabad United.
During PSL 2025, Afridi played 71 matches, scored 327 runs with an average of 4.4, hitting 27 sixes and 18 fours. He led Lahore Qalandars to the title by defeating Quetta Gladiators in the final.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Notes
|
|
2018
|
Lahore Qalandars
|
T20 debut; five wickets vs. Multan Sultans
|
|
2021
|
Lahore Qalandars
|
Named captain
|
|
2022
|
Lahore Qalandars
|
Won PSL title; leading wicket-taker
|
|
2023
|
Lahore Qalandars
|
Led team to first place; won final; 19 wickets in 12 games
|
|
2024
|
Lahore Qalandars
|
Finished last; 14 wickets; two wickets vs. Islamabad
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|
2025
|
Lahore Qalandars
|
Played 71 matches; scored 327 runs; won PSL title
|
Big Bash League
In June 2025, Shaheen Afridi entered the Big Bash League (BBL) international player draft for the 2025–26 season. He was picked first overall by Brisbane Heat, securing a key spot in the team for the upcoming season.
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Year
|
Team
|
Notes
|
|
2025–26
|
Brisbane Heat
|
Selected first overall in BBL draft
|
The Hundred
In 2023, Shaheen Afridi played for Welsh Fire in The Hundred tournament. He made his debut against Manchester Originals at Sofia Gardens Stadium, in a match reduced to 40 balls per side due to weather. Afridi took the wickets of Phil Salt and Laurie Evans early in the game, helping Welsh Fire win 94-3.
Afridi said it was hard at first to adjust to The Hundred’s unique rules and format, but he accepted the challenge and showed strong skill through his performance.
|
Year
|
Team
|
Notes
|
|
2023
|
Welsh Fire
|
Debut vs. Manchester Originals; took key early wickets; helped team win
|
Domestic career
Shaheen Afridi began his cricket career at Tatara Ground in Landi Kotal. Before 2015, he played only tennis-ball cricket. Riaz Afridi introduced him to hard-ball cricket at the FATA Under-16 trials. His good performance helped him join Pakistan’s Under-16 tour of Australia, where he took four wickets and contributed to wins in both One-Day and Twenty20 series.
In 2016, Shaheen played for Pakistan’s Under-19 team in the Asia Cup and took key wickets against Singapore. He made his first-class debut in 2017 for Khan Research Laboratories during the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, taking eight wickets for 39 runs in the second innings, which was the best debut by a Pakistani bowler.
Shaheen was the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan at the 2018 Under-19 World Cup. The ICC called him the rising star of the squad. He made his Twenty20 debut with Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League the same year. In one match, he took five wickets for four runs against Multan Sultans and was named player of the match.
He played List A cricket for Baluchistan and was chosen for the Rotterdam Rhinos in the Euro T20 Slam, but the tournament was canceled. In England, Shaheen joined Hampshire for the 2020 T20 Blast. There, he took a hat-trick and set the best bowling figures recorded at the Rose Bowl in T20 cricket. Later, he signed with Middlesex in 2021 but returned to Pakistan to prepare for national team matches.
In December 2021, Shaheen became captain of Lahore Qalandars. Under his leadership, the team won the 2022 Pakistan Super League, and he finished as the tournament’s top wicket-taker. He continued playing in major T20 leagues, joining Fortune Barishal in the Bangladesh Premier League in 2024 and being selected first overall by Brisbane Heat for the 2025–26 Big Bash League season.
Records and achievements
Shaheen Afridi has earned many awards and set important records throughout his career. His achievements highlight his impact on international cricket and his role as a key player for Pakistan and various teams.
- 2019
- July 5: Became the youngest bowler to take five wickets in a World Cup match, with figures of 6/35 against Bangladesh.
- December: Took his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket against Sri Lanka.
- 2021
- Awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy as ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year.
- Received the PCB Impact Award for "Best Work of the Year".
- Selected for the ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year.
- Named Man of the Match in the T20 World Cup match where Pakistan defeated India.
- Took 78 wickets in 36 international matches.
- 2022
- Named ICC Player of the Year in January.
- Captained Lahore Qalandars to win the Pakistan Super League, becoming the youngest captain to win a T20 league.
- 2023
- October: Took five wickets against Australia in the Cricket World Cup.
- Ended the World Cup as the sixth highest wicket-taker with 18 wickets in 9 matches.
- October 31: Became the fastest Pakistani bowler and fastest fast bowler overall to reach 100 wickets in ODIs, achieving this in 51 matches.
Personal life
Shaheen Afridi’s personal life shows his strong connection to his roots and his growth as a famous cricketer. He was born in a Pashtun family in Landi Kotal and keeps close ties to his hometown while building a modern lifestyle.
Family
Shaheen was born on April 6, 2000, in Landi Kotal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He is the youngest of seven brothers. His oldest brother, Riaz Afridi, played one Test match for Pakistan in 2004. Shaheen’s cousin Yasir Afridi is a professional football player who has played for Pakistan. In March 2021, Shaheen got engaged to Ansha Afridi, daughter of former cricketer Shahid Afridi. They married in a private ceremony in February 2023. Their son, Aliyaar, was born in August 2024.
Finances
By 2024, Shaheen Afridi’s net worth was around $7 million (about 58 crore Indian rupees).
Houses and Cars
Shaheen owns two luxury homes in Pakistan — one in his hometown Landi Kotal and another in a popular area of Islamabad. In 2025, his car collection included a Toyota Fortuner and an Audi A8 Hybrid. In 2022, he was also reported to own a Toyota Revo.
Scandals
In 2021, Shaheen was fined 15% of his match fee for breaking the ICC Code of Conduct by throwing the ball at another player during a game against Bangladesh. During the 2020 T20 World Cup, he had a disagreement with coach Mohammed Yusuf and was accused of skipping team talks. In 2024, he was upset about a statement on the PCB website that quoted him incorrectly. He was also unhappy about how he lost the captaincy, as Babar Azam replaced him.
Fans
Shaheen Afridi has about 80,000 followers on Instagram and continues to grow his fan base.
