Shaheen Shah Afridi Admits Pakistan’s Fate Not In Their Hands After T20 World Cup Loss

In Tuesday’s T20 World Cup Super Eight match, England emerged victorious by two wickets against Pakistan. Shaheen Shah Afridi, the Pakistani pacer, conceded that their fortunes now rested on other teams’ results.

Pakistan currently have only one point from two matches in this round, leaving them needing a win in their final game against Sri Lanka to stand any chance of reaching the semi-finals. “We know our fate is not in our hands,” he acknowledged during his post-match press conference. “But we need to beat Sri Lanka and hope other results go our way.”

Shaheen lauded Harry Brook’s performance, describing it as a “world-class knock.” Brook achieved this remarkable feat off 50 balls with four sixes and ten fours, exceeding England’s target of 165 by five runs. His innings propelled England to victory.

“He took the game away from us,” Afridi commented during his press conference, commending his counterpart for a “superb captain’s performance.” Promoted to number three in the batting order following a discussion with England’s coach Brendon McCullum, Brook batted through a shaky start. He scored 45 runs off five wickets and added another 52 runs with Will Jacks.

Brook also set the second fastest T20 World Cup century record, only trailing West Indies great Chris Gayle’s record of just 47 balls in the 2016 tournament. The innings featured a memorable moment when Afridi bowled Brook on his final ball with a yorker, but instead of celebrating wildly, the Pakistani pacer immediately congratulated Brook for his “proper cricketing shots,” going to shake hands with him.

The match saw Afridi’s devastating bowling work from the top order. He dismissed Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell within the first two overs, leaving England in dire straits at 35-3. However, it was Brook who anchored the innings, scoring a century and providing crucial support as he shared wickets with Sam Curran and Will Jacks.

This moment of sportsmanship from Afridi highlighted his class and professionalism amidst Pakistan’s disappointment. His performance underscored how individual brilliance can sway the outcome of games even when team dynamics are unfavorable.