'Dreams do come true': Shaheen Afridi on becoming Pakistan's new bowling sensation

• “I always like pressure because when pressure comes to me I perform better,” Shaheen Shah Afridi tells ICC.
• Imad Wasim says Afridi is one of the best bowlers Pakistan has produced after Wasim Akram.
• Skipper Babar Azam believes Afridi is one of the best bowlers due to his aggression. 

Shaheen Shah Afridi, the latest high-end product of Pakistan's fast bowling factory, is making headlines for all the right reasons after his fiery bowling on Sunday rattled India's formidable batting order.

While Afridi’s yorkers and bouncers gave Indian batsmen enough pressure to get back to the pavilion, the star bowler thinks he performs well under pressure.

“I always like pressure because when pressure comes to me I perform better,” he told ICC.

The 21-year-old emerging star said whenever a cricketer represents his/her country, especially in the World Cup, it is a different feeling altogether. 

“I am feeling proud and looking forward to playing our best cricket,” he added.

Afridi believes “dreams do come true” as he neither played regional cricket nor was a part of any domestic cricket team. However, the left-arm fast bowler was noticed by selectors very early, which in turn proved beneficial for Pakistan. 

Shedding light on his phenomenal bowling, Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim said such was the Lahore Qalandars' bowler's skill that he never faces Afridi in the nets.

“He will be one of the best bowlers Pakistan has produced after Wasim Akram,” he said, adding that Pakistan has Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz and Wasim as its leading left-arm bowlers and now, the country also has Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Pakistan’s bowling coach Vernon Philander said: “He [Afridi] has got brilliant energy and the world loves him for being himself.”

“He can deliver lethal bouncers, unbelievable Yorkers and can pretty much bowl every possible way,” he said, praising Afridi’s remarkable performance.

Skipper Babar Azam believes Afridi is one of the best bowlers mainly due to his aggression. 

Speaking about his number 10 shirt — previously owned by the former captain Shahid Afridi — the 21-year-old bowler said: “Whenever I saw him [Shahid Afridi] I loved his 10 number shirt and back in 2018 I told the Pakistan Cricket Board I want the number 10 shirt and they have given me that number.”