Shaheen Afridi Picked Up by Hampshire for Next Year’s T20 Blast

Shaheen Afridi, who has played 31 T20s and has 40 wickets, is expected to be available for the entire duration of the tournament.

Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has been picked up Hampshire for next year’s T20 Blast, the club confirmed on Wednesday (December 18). The 19-year-old pacer, who has played 31 T20s and has 40 wickets, is expected to be available for the entire duration of the tournament.

“I am delighted to sign with Hampshire for the upcoming Vitality Blast competition,” he said. “I have always enjoyed playing in England in front of the fantastic fans and I look forward to joining this historic club for my first experience of county cricket.”

Director of cricket, Giles White, was pleased with the signing. “A lot of the best sides in T20 cricket possess a very good bowling attack and Shaheen adds an extra dimension to the group we have, offering excellent accuracy, pace and lots of variations. He’s an emerging young talent in world cricket so we’re delighted to have him on board for next summer’s Vitality Blast,” he said.

Afridi has featured in six Tests, 19 ODIs and 10 T20Is and has 73 international wickets across formats. He grabbed eyeballs in England when he picked up 6 for 35 against Bangladesh in the 2019 World Cup clash at Lord’s.