Was merely trying to bowl dot balls: Hampshire hero Shaheen Afridi on 6-wicket haul

Hampshire fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has revealed that he was merely trying to hit his targets and save runs in the incredible 18th over against Middlesex on Sunday that got him four wickets on as many balls.

Afridi, following a disappointing run with Pakistan as well as Hampshire, seemed a man on a mission in his county side’s final game of Vitality Blast 2020 as he single-handedly won them the match courtesy a 6-19 that included four scalps off four balls in the 18th over.

When the ball was handed to him at the end of 16th over, Middlesex needed a mere 14 runs off 24 balls with four wickets in hand. This is when Afridi did what he did. Following the match, however, he told Geo News that containing runs and not picking wickets was his goal for the over.

“I was trying to end the county season on a positive note. My goal was to hit the targets and bowl dot balls,” Afridi said.

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He then reviewed his season with Hampshire, thanking the side for sticking with him despite his near barren run preceding the 6-for.

“The county season with Hampshire was a pretty good one. Before this one I had taken just one wicket in six matches but my team supported me a lot,” he said.

“’I have learnt a lot by playing the English season. The things picked up here will prove useful in the future.”

Afridi then vowed to “try to do well in the PSL as well and win the trophy for Lahore Qalandars”.

READ: Shaheen Afridi becomes youngest bowler to bag four-for in a World Cup match

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