Afridi etched his name in the record books by claiming an astonishing four wickets in the opening over of the innings, setting a new milestone in T20 cricket. The young pacer has been in scintillating form for Nottinghamshire throughout the tournament, leading their bowling attack with 20 wickets in 13 matches, making him the teamās top wicket-taker.
Afridiās heroics began with a golden duck for Bears captain Alex Davies off the first legitimate delivery of the match (preceded by a five-wide ball). He followed it up by producing a sensational delivery to uproot Chris Benjaminās stumps, leaving the crowd in awe of his talent and skill.
Although he narrowly missed out on a hat-trick, Afridi wasnāt finished yet. He claimed two more wickets off the last two deliveries of the over, dismissing Dan Mousley, who provided an easy catch to Olly Stone, and then sending Ed Barnard back to the pavilion without scoring a run.
Shaheen Afridi impresses; Notts lose the match
Despite Afridiās sensational start, Nottinghamshire couldnāt seize the momentum and suffered a two-wicket defeat. Robert Yates, with his composed knock of 65, anchored the Bearsā innings, receiving valuable contributions from Jacob Bethell (27) and Jake Lintott (27*) in the lower order.
Afridi, unfortunately, couldnāt add to his tally in the remainder of the match, ending with impressive figures of 4/29 in his four overs.
After a long absence from the game due to a knee injury following the T20 World Cup, Afridi made a triumphant return during the Pakistan Super League, leading Lahore Qalandars to a memorable title victory. Subsequently, he regained his spot in the national team, featuring in Pakistanās white-ball series against New Zealand in May.
Shaheen Afridiās extraordinary talent and consistent performances continue to mesmerize cricket fans worldwide. While his remarkable spell couldnāt secure a victory for Nottinghamshire, it undoubtedly showcased his immense potential and cemented his status as a force to be reckoned with in the world of cricket.