'The day I started at zero' - Shaheen Afridi reflects on 'best moment' of his life

Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi is undoubtedly one of the best bowlers in world cricket currently. Being just 23, Afridi has fully taken up the responsibility of spearheading Pakistan’s bowling attack. With 99 wickets in 25 Test matches and 64 wickets each in 33 and 52 ODIs and T20Is, respectively, Afridi’s records speak for themselves.

Recently, the 23-year-old took to Instagram to share a throwback picture. He shared a picture of himself from when he was a young boy and reminisced about the first time he stepped on the field to play cricket.

Afridi captioned the post, "There comes a moment in life that shapes your life. Cricket is my life, and this is the moment—the day I started at zero—and it was the best moment of my life. When you are at zero, you have the hunger, the will, and the passion to do so much more. To never stop."

Shaheen Afridi missed the second ODI against New Zealand

Currently, the ace pacer is on international duty as Pakistan and New Zealand are competing in a five-match ODI series. The Men in Green won the first two ODIs and have a considerably strong grip on the series. The first ODI saw the Black Caps post 288 runs on the board for the hosts to chase.

Shaheen Afridi put in a good performance with the ball in the first innings of the first game. The 23-year-old took two wickets and conceded 63 runs in 10 overs. He dismissed skipper Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell to limit New Zealand. The hosts chased the target down quite comfortably to win the game.

After an impressive performance in the first ODI, Afridi missed the second game of the series. It was stated that the star pacer missed the game to manage his workload better ahead of the upcoming ODI World Cup, which is scheduled for the latter stages of 2023. However, despite his absence, the Men in Green managed to win the game and further mounted pressure on New Zealand.