Shaheen | Pakistan

A smile lit up Shaheen Shah Afridi’s face as he mentioned Pakistan’s victory against India at the Rising Stars Asia Cup. Addressing the post-match ceremony after his side completed a series sweep against Sri Lanka on Sunday, Pakistan’s One-day International captain hailed a good day for cricket in the country. “We’ve now won two consecutive [ODI] series,” said Shaheen, referring to the team’s victory against South Africa a week earlier, after Pakistan eased to a six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the third and final ODI in Rawalpindi. “Today Pakistan Shaheen also won, and more importantly they against our neighbours … it makes you happy that all the youngsters performed,” he added when asked to comment on Pakistan Shaheens’ eight-wicket thrashing of India ‘A’ in Qatar. “Here [in Pindi] as well, everyone chipped in across the three matches, everyone played their best cricket which is why we won.” Pakistan’s bowlers set up the victory for the hosts after they shot down Sri Lanka for 211 before Mohammad Rizwan...

Former Pakistan One-day International captain Mohammad Rizwan voluntarily decided to take a step back and let Shaheen Shah Afridi take charge as his successor when the country’s cricket board was mulling the decision, the latter revealed on Monday. Shaheen was appointed in the role last month in what seemed like an abrupt development with Rizwan being stripped off captaincy despite spending only five ODI series and an ICC Champions Trophy campaign in charge. While the wicket-keeper-batter had a disastrous show at the Champions Trophy, he led Pakistan to series wins in Australia and South Africa last year and against the West Indies this year. According to multiple media reports, Rizwan was at loggerheads with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) when he was removed as captain – reportedly turning down the central contract. Shaheen, however, seems to have cleared the air, stating in the press conference on the eve of Pakistan’s three-match ODI series opener against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi, that he had a discussion...

Babar Azam showed his mastery with the bat after Shaheen Shah Afridi led a sparkling bowling performance from Pakistan as the hosts cruised to a four-wicket victory over South Africa in the series-deciding third T20 International at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. Shaheen picked up 3-26, being the standout of Pakistan’s bowling attack, in which Faheem Ashraf and debutant Usman Tariq picked up two wickets each, as South Africa were restricted to 139-9 after being put into bat. Babar then provided an anchor in the chase with a brilliant 68, featuring nine fours, as Pakistan eased to victory with six balls to spare. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the team on X, saying, “Very well-played boys in Green!” He also commended Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and his team for their “great efforts”. In a statement, Naqvi hailed Babar’s batting and Shaheen’s bowling skills for playing an “important role” in the win. Conveying his congratulations to Captain Salman Agha, Head Coach Mike Hesson and...

Babar Azam showed his mastery with the bat after Shaheen Shah Afridi led a sparkling bowling performance from Pakistan as the hosts cruised to a four-wicket victory over South Africa in the series-deciding third Twenty20 International at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. Shaheen picked up 3-26, being the standout of Pakistan’s bowling attack, in which Faheem Ashraf and debutant Usman Tariq picked up two wickets each, as South Africa were restricted to 139-9 after being put into bat. Babar then provided an anchor in the chase with a brilliant 68, featuring nine fours, as Pakistan eased to victory with six balls to spare. Shaheen got Pakistan off to a flyer with two wickets halfway through the first over and almost bagged a third victim two balls later. Opener Quinton de Kock’s stumps were undone on the second ball of the innings with a delivery that jagged back, found an edge and clattered into the woodwork. On the very next ball, Lhuan-dre Pretorious then spooned a catch to Usman Tariq at short fine-leg. Pakis...

Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has been named the Pakistan men’s One-day International (ODI) team captain, the country’s cricket board announced on Monday. The national side’s pace spearhead will lead Pakistan in the upcoming three-match series against South Africa. Shaheen replaces Mohammad Rizwan as the Pakistan ODI skipper after the wicket-keeper led the team during a disastrous ICC Champions Trophy campaign before series losses in New Zealand and the West Indies. Rizwan, handed captaincy in 2024, had led the team to series wins in South Africa, Australia and Zimbabwe in his early days as captain, however. But the recent failures apparently were a decisive enough factor for the Pakistan Cricket Board to sack Rizwan. For Shaheen, it’s going to be a second stint as the Pakistan captain, the left-armer having been snubbed after a short spell — five T20Is against New Zealand — at the helm after replacing Babar Azam in late 2023 following Pakistan’s dismal World Cup campaign. The 25-year-old, who has been capt...

In a game that had turned into a virtual semi-final, a transformation was nearing its completion. It had taken time but the necessary trust had been gained — a tottering Pakistan were pinning hopes on Shaheen Shah Afridi to dig them out of a hole and, for a change, with the bat. Bangladesh had reduced Salman Ali Agha’s men to 58-5 in their 2025 Asia Cup Super Four clash and Pakistan were searching for some inspiration when the transformed Shaheen hoicked Tanzim Hasan Saqib to the top tier of the Dubai International Cricket Stadium for the first six of the match. Taskin Ahmed, Bangladesh’s most successful bowler of the night, was then clubbed for another in the next over to pave way for Pakistan to post a respectable 135-8; the defence of which he would later spearhead with the ball. There is a viral video from the 2024 T20 World Cup in which Shaheen jokingly complains to the ICC crew for putting ‘bowler’ next to his name instead of ‘all-rounder’. Only days later, his unbeaten 16-ball 23 not out helped Pakista...

Pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi has declared that the Green Shirts will reach the Asia Cup final and can beat India if the arch-rivals clash again. Pakistan kept their campaign alive with a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a Super Four clash in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Pakistan and India have met twice in this edition of the regional competition, but the two teams have never played against each other in an Asia Cup final. The regional tournament, played this time in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under the Twenty20 format, started in 1984, and this is its 17th edition. Bangladesh, who face India on Wednesday and Pakistan on Thursday, stand in the way of the great rivals facing off in Sunday’s decider in Dubai. India are the current holders and beat Pakistan in both previous matches, but Shaheen was in a bullish mood after taking 3-28 against Sri Lanka. When asked about Pakistan and India not facing off in any of the finals of the previous editions and the possibility of both rivals meeting in the final, Shaheen s...

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) dropped Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan on Wednesday as it named a new-look squad for three home Twenty20 internationals against Bangladesh. Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson will take charge for the first time after being appointed last week, replacing Aaqib Javed. Salman Ali Agha will captain Pakistan as they look towards next year’s T20 World Cup, to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Fast bowler Shaheen had played in Pakistan’s last T20 series in New Zealand in March, but batsmen Babar and Rizwan were omitted for the second consecutive T20 series after being criticised for slow scoring. “The squad has been selected based on players’ performances in the ongoing Pakistan Super League, which concludes on May 25,” the PCB said in a statement. Shaheen has taken 12 wickets for Lahore Qalandars in 10 PSL matches at an economy rate of 8.20. Opener Sahibzada Farhan earned a recall after topping the PSL batting charts with 394 runs. Batsmen Saim Ayub and Fakhar...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday rubbished Indian propaganda that Shaheen missiles were used in the Operation Bunyanun Marsoos (BM).

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani officials on Monday suspected that India triggered false alarm about the use of Shaheen missile during the military hostilities earlier this month as a deliberate fabrication, timed to support its post-conflict diplomatic surge and international lobbying effort. By exploiting fears of nuclear escalation, they suspect, India sought to redirect attention from its own aggressive actions during Operation Sindoor and reinforce its narrative of moral and strategic superiority. The Indian action, therefore, highlighted the dangerous intersection of disinformation and nuclear signalling in a volatile region. The baseless narrative, the officials, who spoke on background, argued is part of India’s broader strategy to frame Pakistan as a reckless nuclear actor amid mounting international concern over South Asia’s security volatility. “The claim that Pakistan employed Shaheen-class ballistic missiles during the recent crisis appears rooted in a broader Indian — and now Western — effort to frame Isla...