World Cup, Shaheen Afridi completes 50 ODIs: Decoding his stats
Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi has completed 50 matches in ODI cricket. Match 26 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 between Pakistan and South Africa in Chennai marked his milestone. The left-arm speedster has emerged as one of the threatening fast bowlers going around. He has given nightmares to several potent batters with his pace and swing. Here we look at his stats.
Fourth-best bowling average for Pakistan
Shaheen, who made his ODI debut in 2018, has so far returned with 96 wickets in the format. The tally includes three five-wicket hauls and six four-fers. His economy rate reads 5.5. The pace merchant owns the fourth-best bowling average (23.54) for Pakistan (Minimum 70 wickets). He is only behind Saqlain Mushtaq (21.78), Saeed Ajmal (22.72), and Wasim Akram (23.52).
Afridi can script history
Shaheen can become the fastest pacer to accomplish 100 ODI wickets. He needs four wickets in his next two innings to get this feat. The left-arm speedster can overtake Australia's Mitchell Starc, who took 52 matches to reach the milestone. Meanwhile, Mushtaq is currently the fastest Pakistan bowler to complete a century of ODI wickets. He required 53 matches to get the mark.
33 ODI wickets in powerplay
Shaheen's in-swinging deliveries have particularly troubled right-handed batters in initial overs. As per ESPNcricinfo, 33 of his 96 ODI wickets have been come in the powerplay overs. The young pacer has an average of 27.66 and an economy rate of 5.1 in this regard. No other Pakistan bowler has taken more powerplay wickets in ODIs since Shaheen's debut in the format in September 2018.
Here are his WC numbers
Playing his 11th World Cup match, Shaheen has 26 scalps in the tournament at just 18.65. The tally includes two fifers and a four-wicket haul. Former all-rounder Shahid Afridi is the only other Pakistan bowler with two WC fifers. With 10 wickets, the speedster is Pakistan's leading wicket-taker in the ongoing event. He claimed a fifer in his recent outing against Australia.
