Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi celebrated the birth of his first child in a memorable manner during the opening match against Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Shaheen and his wife Ansha welcomed their son, whom they named Ali Yar. Despite initial speculation that Shaheen might skip the series of matches for the birth of his son, statements made by Pakistan’s red-ball coach Jason Gillespie have prompted the determined fast bowler to choose to represent his country in the match.
In the game, Shaheen had to put in considerable effort to claim his wickets as Bangladesh secured a substantial 117-run lead in their first innings. Known for his usual celebratory style of raising his arms after taking a wicket, Shaheen chose to celebrate differently this time. After claiming his first wicket of the match, he performed a cradling gesture to honour his newborn son, displaying his happiness and pride. The celebration came after Bangladesh batsman Hasan Mahmud attempted a shot at the on-side end, only to edge the ball. Mohammad Rizwan made no mistake in taking the catch, allowing Shaheen to open his wicket account. Later in the innings, Shaheen dismissed Mehidy Hasan Miraz, finishing with respectable figures from 30 overs, conceding 88 runs and taking two wickets.
– Shaheen dedicated the wicket to her newborn baby. image.twitter.com/vyptUtOR2O— Johns (@CricCrazyJohns) August 24, 2024
Following the birth of his son, Shaheen Shah Afridi received a flood of congratulatory messages from the cricket fraternity. Among those who extended their well-wishes was Arshad Nadeem, the recent gold medallist in the men’s javelin throw at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Nadeem, who set an Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 metres, also congratulated Shahid Afridi on becoming a grandfather.
Congratulations to Shaheen Shah Afridi on the birth of her beautiful baby boy. And heartfelt congratulations to Shahid Afridi. @SAfridiOficial Becoming a grandfather. May Allah bless the little one with health and happiness. Prayers and best wishes to his family… — Arshad Nadeem (@ArshadOlympian) August 24, 2024
Pakistan fights Bangladesh
On the cricketing front, Pakistan put up an inconsistent performance on what was considered an excellent pitch to bat on. While they managed to post a decent score initially, led by Shan Masood, the team’s bowlers found it difficult to maintain the momentum. Bangladesh took advantage of the favourable conditions to bat, with Mushfiqur Rahim scoring a remarkable 191 runs and Shadman Islam contributing a solid 93. This significant innings ensured that Bangladesh comfortably outscored Pakistan’s total, putting the hosts on the back foot as the match progressed.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
We respect the intellectual property rights of content creators. If you are the owner of any material featured on our website and have concerns about its use, please contact us. We are committed to addressing any copyright issues promptly and will remove any material within 2 days of receiving a request from the rightful owner.