Shaheen Afridi’s woeful run for Brisbane Heat in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) continued on Saturday after he was punished for 19 runs in an over by Australian-born Italian batter Harry Manenti during the match against Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba in Brisbane. Matters worsened for the Pakistan quick when he later suffered a knee injury and limped off the field, sparking concerns back home with the T20 World Cup just six weeks away.
Afridi was unable to complete his quota of four overs and finished with figures of 3-0-26-0. The spell, however, did not reflect the full story. He began impressively with the new ball, conceding just seven runs in his first two overs. Reintroduced into the attack in the 12th over, Afridi saw momentum slip away. Matthew Short punished a short ball first up with a boundary through backward square leg before rotating strike. Manenti then took charge, smashing a hat-trick of boundaries as Afridi leaked 19 runs in the over.
The injury occurred during the 14th over of the Strikers’ chase when Jamie Overton drilled a yorker-length delivery from Xavier Bartlett straight down the ground. Afridi, stationed at mid-on, sprinted after the ball but appeared to jar his knee during the chase. He was visibly in discomfort, limped off the field at the end of the over, and took no further part in the match.
With the T20 World Cup fast approaching, Pakistan will be hoping the injury is not serious. The Men in Green are chasing their first ICC title since the 2017 Champions Trophy, and Afridi remains a vital cog in their plans despite his struggles in Australia.
Overall, it has been a forgettable campaign for Afridi in the BBL. He has managed just two wickets in four games, averaging 76.50 while conceding runs at an economy rate of 11.19. Earlier in the season, during his debut appearance for Brisbane Heat against Melbourne Renegades in Geelong on December 15, he was even taken off the attack for bowling dangerously.
As for the match, Brisbane Heat set a target of 180 after being asked to bat first, powered by Max Bryant’s explosive 63 off 32 balls. In reply, Adelaide skipper Matthew Short struck 63 off 39 deliveries but found little support. Jerrssais Wadia briefly threatened to steal the game with a rapid 34 off 16 balls, but Heat held their nerve to bowl the Strikers out for 172 with one ball remaining.
