Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi said on Friday that he was ready for the forthcoming T20 World Cup challenge, slated to happen in the United States and West Indies.
Expressing his thoughts on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) podcast, Afridi said, “Our job is to bring happiness to the people. I would like to see Pakistan victorious in the upcoming World Cup in the United States and West Indies.”
“Right now, I am completely fit and fully braced for the T20 World Cup,” he said.
Speaking about Pakistan white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten, Afridi said: “Gary Kirsten has said an excellent thing to me: don’t play for the name that is written on the back of your shirt, but play for the name that is written in front of the jersey.”
“The team environment is quite good. It is not the right time to indulge in any sort of debate, but to achieve a real objective. The nation loves us, and people will want us to be seen as victorious,” he added.
Afridi maintained: “I feel pride in my performance in bagging six wickets against Bangladesh in the 2019 World Cup in Lords. Whereas bowling against India in the matches of the T20 World Cup 2021 and Asia Cup 2023 are memorable moments for me.”
He said: “It was a painful moment to lose against Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup 2022.”
Afridi acknowledged former Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed’s role, saying, “Sarfraz Ahmed has greatly guided me.”
“I feel lucky that I got the opportunity to represent Pakistan at such a young age and in such a short time.”
He commended the role of his elder brother and former Test cricketer, Riaz Afridi. “Riaz Afridi has played a great role in coaching me.”