Shaheen Shah Afridi continued to build his reputation as a match-altering new-ball bowler on Tuesday, reaching a landmark that places him among a very select group of Pakistan ODI captains. In the second ODI versus Australia at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, the left-arm quick made an immediate impact by striking with the opening delivery of the innings to send Alex Carey back.
Key takeaways
- Shaheen Shah Afridi struck off the first ball of the second ODI against Australia at Gaddafi Stadium.
- Alex Carey was dismissed after edging a delivery that was pitched outside the off stump and bounced back onto the stumps.
- Pakistan’s early wicket helped them seize the initiative right from the start of the chase/innings.
- The wicket marked Shaheen as only the third Pakistan ODI captain to take a wicket with the opening ball of an innings.
- Shaheen’s captaincy milestone follows earlier instances achieved by Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
A rare ODI captaincy milestone for Shaheen
The importance of the breakthrough went beyond providing Pakistan with a fast start. By taking the wicket with the very first delivery, Shaheen also etched his name into a rare slice of Pakistan cricket history. He became only the third Pakistan skipper to achieve the feat of dismissing a batter off the opening ball of an ODI innings, underlining the same early-impact trait that has defined much of his career.
There is a clear theme to the company he keeps. Before Shaheen, only two Pakistan captains had pulled off the same first-ball strike in ODI cricket—both widely regarded as among the most effective fast bowlers of their era.
The first was Wasim Akram, who delivered the breakthrough against Zimbabwe in Karachi in December 1993, removing Andy Flower with the opening ball. The second was Waqar Younis, who in June 2001, during an ODI against England at Headingley, dismissed Marcus Trescothick with the first delivery of the innings, joining Akram in that exclusive list.
More than two decades later, Shaheen has added his name alongside those legendary figures. For a bowler known for generating early breakthroughs, it was a particularly fitting achievement and another step forward in his evolving role as a leader.
Shaheen opts to field after winning the toss
Earlier in the day, Shaheen won the toss and chose to bowl first. At the toss, he explained that Pakistan’s plan was to attack with the new ball, aiming to secure wickets early and keep the opposition under pressure. He also noted that even if an early breakthrough didn’t arrive immediately, the team would look to take one or two wickets during the middle overs to support the overall gameplan.
