Pakistan’s bowling spearhead, Shaheen Afridi, engaged in a heated exchange with a fan before the Men in Green’s second T20I against Ireland at the Clontarf Cricket Club Ground in Dublin on Sunday, May 12. Led by Babar Azam, Pakistan won the match by seven wickets, leveling the series 1-1.
The altercation occurred as Shaheen Afridi was making his way to the ground. Clearly perturbed by the fan’s remarks, the bowler stopped to address him amidst a crowd.
Shaheen opted not to escalate the situation and instead called for security intervention. The security personnel then removed the fan from the premises, despite his protests. You can view the incident here:
https://x.com/awazenglish/status/1789942463274119585?s=46
https://x.com/saleemkhaliq/status/1789940805857095928?s=46
The fan reportedly had an Afghanistan flag, highlighting the rivalry between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which has been a topic of discussion in recent times. After their 2019 ODI World Cup match in Leeds, fans from both nations were involved in a significant altercation.
Shaheen Afridi concluded with figures of 3-49 and achieved the milestone of 300 international cricket wickets
On Sunday, the left-arm pacer took the wickets of Andy Balbirnie, Paul Stirling, and Mark Adair, finishing with figures of 3-49. Afridi reached the milestone of 300 international cricket wickets after 29 Test matches, 53 ODIs, and 63 T20Is when he dismissed Ireland skipper Paul Stirling.
Shaheen Afridi’s performance, combined with Abbas Afridi’s two-wicket contribution, helped Pakistan limit Ireland to 193-7. Following a surprising loss in the series opener, Pakistan comfortably chased down the target with over three overs to spare.
Despite a shaky start at 13-2, including captain Babar Azam’s dismissal for a four-ball duck, Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman scored 75 and 78 runs, respectively, with Azam Khan adding a quick 30 runs off 10 balls.
In the first match, Shaheen Afridi bowled tightly, conceding only 26 runs for one wicket. He will next feature in the third and final T20I scheduled for Tuesday, May 14.
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