Shaheen Afridi has struggled with a difficult few months in international cricket, not quite finding the threatening combination of pace and sharp swing which made him one of the best bowlers in world cricket in years past. However, Shaheen has been able to replicate a little of that form in the ongoing series against Australia, in particular delivering an incredibly potent opening spell in the series decider at the Perth Stadium.
Afridi bowled to top order batters Matt Short, Aaron Hardie and Jake Fraser-McGurk, swinging the ball both ways. Although he started off with plenty of threat, he initially found very little success. However, Afridi’s persistence paid off as his initial spell set up a beautiful dismissal of Hardie in the seventh over.
Afridi initially was bowling full, straight, in-swinging deliveries to Hardie, targeting his pads from over the wicket. The pace and bounce of the pitch in Perth made this a viable strategy as it made Shaheen difficult to attack despite him overpitching on occasion in search of swing.
Shaheen’s swing trickery arrived in the first ball of his fourth over, as he bowled one slightly shorter, which held its line rather than swing back into Hardie. The Australian batter went to play at the ball, before deciding late that he wanted to leave it based on the delivery pitching shorter and also not seaming back in.
Shaheen catches Hardie unawares
{{/usCountry}}Shaheen’s swing trickery arrived in the first ball of his fourth over, as he bowled one slightly shorter, which held its line rather than swing back into Hardie. The Australian batter went to play at the ball, before deciding late that he wanted to leave it based on the delivery pitching shorter and also not seaming back in.
Shaheen catches Hardie unawares
{{/usCountry}}However, the doubt created by Shaheen’s set-up meant that Hardie was in two minds as he left, and a late decision meant the delivery caught the edge of his bat as he meant to leave it. A sharp catch was completed at second slip by Agha Salman.
This left Australia at 36-2, and wickets kept falling at regular intervals in Perth. The world champions were bowled out for 140, leaving Pakistan with the chance to wrap up a very good series win down under.
Naseem Shah took three wickets, while Haris Rauf contributed with two and Mohammed Hasnain also picked up a scalp. Shaheen took the final two wickets of the innings as well, getting Sean Abbott to chip one into the air with a slower ball before bowling Lance Morris with a full and straight delivery that knocked over his stumps.