Pakistan’s ace fast bowler, Shaheen Shah Afridi, etched his name in cricket history on Friday, becoming the first bowler to take four wickets in the first over of a T20 match.
During a T20 Blast match between Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire, the 23-year-old pacer became the first bowler ever to claim four wickets in the opening over of a T20 match.
Shaheen Shah Afridi’s incredible display unfolded as he took the wickets on the first, second, fifth, and sixth balls of his maiden over.
Shaheen Afridi, you cannot do that!! 💥 https://t.co/ehXxmtz6rX pic.twitter.com/wvibWa17zA
— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) June 30, 2023
He started by dismissing opener Alex Davies with a yorker, followed by bowling out Chris Benjamin. Dan Mousley then fell victim to a catch by Olly Stone after playing a shot straight into his hands. Shaheen Shah Afridi completed his four-wicket haul by bowling out Ed Barnard.
Despite his exceptional performance, Nottinghamshire faced defeat against Warwickshire by two wickets. The Bears successfully chased down the target of 169 runs in 19.1 overs, thanks to an impressive innings by opener Robert Yates, who scored 65 runs off 46 balls. Glenn Maxwell, Jacob Bethell, and Jake Lintott also contributed crucial runs to secure the victory.
As of now, Warwickshire sits at the top of the North Group points table, having won 10 out of 13 matches. Nottinghamshire, on the other hand, currently holds the fourth position with seven wins out of 13 matches.
Shaheen Shah Afridi joined Nottinghamshire Outlaws for this year’s Blast tournament, having previously represented Hampshire Hawks in the 2020 edition. In a match against Middlesex, he had also taken four wickets on four consecutive deliveries.
The T20 Blast, now in its 21st edition, was the first precision T20 league when it was inaugurated in June 2003 as the Twenty20 Cup.
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