One of the tallest and arguably one of the most talented left-arm pacers, Shaheen Afridi, has limitless potential. Having so much variety at such a young age made Afridi quite a popular cricketer in Pakistan.

In early 2017, Afridi came into the picture for his tall stature, ability to swing the ball ways, and the long handle he possesses down the order. In December 2016, he was added to the squad of Pakistan for the U19 Asia Cup and scalped 3 wickets for 21 runs in his debut game against Singapore. Seeing his performances in the tournament, Dhaka Dynamites signed him for a two-year contract in the Bangladesh Premier League.

Afridi’s introduction to first-class cricket was an explosive one for Khan Research Laboratories, where he picked up 8 wickets in the 2nd innings against Rawalpindi on 26th September 2017, but ended up on the losing side.

Later in December 2017, Afridi was added to Pakistan’s squad for the 2018 ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. With his pace and bounce, the youngster picked up 12 wickets in the tournament and was the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan.

Shaheen Afridi PSL Career

Following this remarkable performance, Afridi was picked up by the PSL giant Lahore Qalandars before the 2018 edition of the PSL. He rattled Multan Sultan with a five-wicket haul with his career-best performance in the T20 format. He picked 5 for just 4 runs and was declared the 'Man of the Match'.

Ahead of PSL 2022, Shaheen Shah Afridi, at just 21 years old, was appointed captain of the Lahore Qalandars. Under his leadership, the team clinched its first PSL title, defeating the Multan Sultans by 42 runs in the final. 

This victory made Afridi the youngest captain to win a major T20 league, surpassing Steve Smith's previous record. He then helped the franchise bag victories in the 2023 and 2025 seasons.

Shaheen Afridi T20I Career

At just 18 years of age, Shaheen Afridi made his T20I debut for Pakistan against the West Indies on April 3, 2018, at the National Stadium, Karachi. Stepping into the biggest stage, with his pace, height, left-arm angle, and control as defining attributes, Afridi soon became Pakistan’s ‘premium’ fast bowler. 

One of Afridi's most remarkable displays came during Pakistan's opening match against India in the 2021 T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Pakistan relied on Afridi's exceptional bowling to dismantle India's top order, taking crucial wickets of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. 

His contributions were vital in Pakistan's undefeated run in the group stage and their progression to the semi-finals. Shaheen Shah Afridi's exceptional performances throughout the year were recognised globally when he was awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy as the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year. 

Afridi made a remarkable comeback from injury in the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup, playing a pivotal role in Pakistan's journey to the final. In the final against England, Afridi's early dismissal of Alex Hales was crucial, but he unfortunately sustained a knee injury during the match, impacting his performance.

Notably, on 15 November 2023, Afridi was appointed T20I captain after Babar Azam resigned from the captaincy across all three formats of the game. However, he was axed from his role ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup tournament.

Shaheen Afridi, in December 2024, completed 100 T20I wickets, becoming only the third Pakistani to reach the mark, the first Pakistani to reach 100 wickets in all three formats of international cricket, and also the youngest bowler to do so.

Shaheen Afridi Test Career

The prodigious teenager, Shaheen Afridi, made his Test debut for Pakistan against New Zealand on December 3, 2018, in Abu Dhabi. The left-arm pacer took 1/49 in his first innings. 

In December 2019, during the second Test match against Sri Lanka, Afridi took his first five-wicket haul in the longest format of the game of cricket. The following year, in August 2021, during the second West Indies vs Pakistan Test, Afridi finished with career-best figures of 10 for 94 in the Test, and fittingly, it was he who finished off the game. 

For his exploits, Afridi entered the top five of the ICC Test bowling rankings, making him the youngest fast bowler in the world at that time to occupy a top-five position in the Test rankings.

Moreover, in January 2022, Afridi was named the Cricketer of the Year award by the ICC for taking 78 wickets in just 36 international matches in 2021. 

In March 2022, Afridi played a pivotal role in Pakistan's historic Test series against Australia—the first between the two nations on Pakistani soil in 24 years. Afridi's performance was instrumental in Pakistan's efforts.

In August 2022, the paceman was ruled out of the Asia Cup after sustaining a knee ligament injury, which he sustained during the Galle Test in Sri Lanka.

After a dip in form for some time, the premium fast bowler rekindled his fire in October 2025, playing a decisive role during the first Test of the home series against South Africa, which Pakistan won by 93 runs. Afridi’s skilful bowling with the old ball, along with exploiting reverse swing, claimed four wickets in the final innings. The haul is considered greater than all Pakistani pace bowlers had managed collectively across the previous four home Tests.

Shaheen Afridi ODI Career

Afridi made his ODI debut against Afghanistan in the 2018 Asia Cup on 21st September 2018, taking 3 wickets.

However, Afridi’s career-defining moment came in 2019 after he became the youngest bowler to pick up a five-wicket haul in a World Cup game. Afridi’s figure of 6/35 was the best by a Pakistani bowler in the prestigious tournament.

Afridi was a key component of Pakistan's bowling attack at the ACC Asia Cup 2023, helping the team reach the final. However, the multi-national Asia Cup saw a dip in Shaheen’s form. 

Meanwhile, the left-arm paceman has been out of favour with Pakistan’s setup. He is all set to make an all-important comeback in the T20 World Cup 2026. 

(As of March 2026)