There was a real buzz around Trent Bridge when it was announced that Shaheen Shah Afridi had been signed as an overseas player for the full 2023 Vitalist Blast campaign.
Already a world star at 23, the left-arm quick, and explosive later-order batter, was the Outlaws’ second T20 overseas signing following that of top-order batter Colin Munro.
He arrived with previous T20 experience in England through a stint with Hampshire Hawks and knew something of his new home ground, having taken 3-30 for the Men in Green as Pakistan defeated the Three Lions at Trent Bridge in the summer of 2021.
“Notts play an aggressive brand of cricket, which suits me well,” Afridi said. He backed that up with some impressive figures, albeit in a campaign that ended at the group stage.
In the fourteen matches, he took 22 wickets at 20.81, with a best of 4-29 and a strike rate of a wicket every 14.86 balls.
That four-for was something special. In his first over against the Birmingham Bears, Shah Afridi had Alex Davies lbw to the first legitimate ball, bowled Chris Benjamin with the next delivery, Dan Mousley was caught by Ollie Stone off ball five and the over finished with Ed Barnard also clean bowled. One over, 4-7!
Despite his heroics, The Outlaws still lost the match as Rob Yates steered the Bears home with five balls remaining.
Shaheen Shah Afridi returned to Pakistan for the Asia Cup and preparations for the 50-over World Cup in India.
October 2023
Shaheen Shah Afridi's career stats (to date) can be seen here