Shahid Afridi set to join Hampshire ahead of NatWest Blast T20

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi is set to appear for Hampshire for the second consecutive time in the NatWest Blast T20. He will be available for the entire length of the two-month tournament and will take part in Hampshire’s first game against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.

Underhwelming season last year

Afridi played all but two games in the last season but did not make a big impact. In 11 innings, the big-hitter could manage to get just 191 runs at 17.36. Though he did maintain a strike rate of 160, he wasn’t consistent at all. With the ball, the 37-year old fared better. In 12 games, Afridi had 9 wickets to his name at an economy rate of 6.22, which is excellent in T20 cricket.

Hampshire struggled as a team and could not qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament. In 14 games, the county team could manage to win just 6 games while losing 8. They would certainly want to put a better show this year.

Afridi’s last professional game came in March this year when he appeared for Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL. Afridi ended a 20-year international career when he walked into the sunset after the conclusion of the World T20 in 2016. He will be excited to start his second stint at The Ageas Bowl.

The leg-spinning all-rounder is a heart rob ever since he smacked a 37-ball hundred against Sri Lanka in his debut innings with the bat in 1996. He might be inconsistent but when he hits them, they stay hit. He entertained a lot of fans around the world, sometimes reducing them to tears (Bangladesh game Asia Cup).

Time to repay faith

Hampshire has shown faith in Afridi’s all-round abilities. The Khyber-born cricketer will be keen to repay the faith by producing some magical performances during Hampshire’s season.