Shaheen Afridi believes there’s much to learn from the BPL
The left-arm pacer has joined the defending champions, Fortune Barishal, for the upcoming season, marking his debut in the BPL. However, his stint will be a short one, as he is set to play for Barishal only until 15 January.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, a name that instils fear in batsmen worldwide, is eager to learn from the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
The Pakistani pace sensation, who has troubled even the most celebrated batsmen in international cricket—particularly in the T20 format—feels that playing in the BPL offers valuable lessons.
Pakistan cricketers have been a regular feature in the BPL since its inception, with players like Shahid Afridi, Imran Nazir, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Sami, Wahab Riaz, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan having left their mark on the league. However, despite his illustrious career, Shaheen Afridi has never been a part of this tournament—until now.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The left-arm pacer has joined the defending champions, Fortune Barishal, for the upcoming season, marking his debut in the BPL. However, his stint will be a short one, as he is set to play for Barishal only until 15 January.
Arriving in Dhaka on 27 December, Shaheen participated in his first training session with the team today. Speaking to the media, he shared his excitement about playing in the BPL, a league he has followed for years. Shaheen believes the quality of the tournament provides ample learning opportunities that can benefit him in future tours with Pakistan.
"I've been following the BPL for many years. It's a fantastic franchise tournament. There's so much to learn by playing here. When I come back with Pakistan in the future, I hope to play good cricket here. I know many Pakistani players have played in the BPL before. This is my first time, so let's see how the cricket here compares. I'll be able to assess after playing," said Shaheen.
Known as a marquee player in any franchise league, Shaheen Afridi is one of the biggest attractions in this year's BPL. However, the pacer humbly dismissed the notion of being a "star," instead highlighting the prominence of Bangladeshi players.
"Honestly, I'm not a star. Many Bangladeshi players are playing here—Tamim is playing, and so are all the national team players. For me and for you, your own players should be the real stars. I'm just here as a cricketer and will try to perform for the team and help them win matches," he said.
