After excelling in bowling, Shaheen looks to help Pakistan win with bat

After excelling in the bowling department, Pakistan's speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi wants to help the Men in Green win with his batting skills.

“I’m gradually learning the art of batting so that it helps Pakistan. I would like to win matches for Pakistan regardless of my batting position,” Shaheen said on Saturday. 

The 23-year-old cricketer impressed one and all with his batting abilities in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL), as he scored a total of 133 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 168.35.

While Pakistan prepare for the limited-overs series against New Zealand on home soil, Shaheen is once again looking to make an impact with the bat in hand. He was also seen putting in the hard yards while batting in the nets during the ongoing training camp in Lahore.

Shaheen said that he had an interest in batting since his U19 days but never gave it a chance. However, that has changed recently, as he did a lot of batting practice during his rehab.

The home series against Kiwis will start on April 14, which will include five ODIs and as many T20I matches.

The Black Caps' squad left for the Pakistan tour earlier today (Sunday), ahead of the first T20I in Lahore. New Zealand will arrive in Pakistan in the wee hours of April 11.

Pakistan squads

T20I: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Zaman Khan

ODI: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Ihsanullah, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Usama Mir

Series schedule (T20Is to start at 9pm; ODIs to begin at 3.30pm):

14 Apr - 1st T20I, Lahore

15 Apr – 2nd T20I, Lahore

17 Apr – 3rd T20I, Lahore

20 Apr – 4th T20I, Rawalpindi

24 Apr – 5th T20I, Rawalpindi

27 Apr – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi

29 Apr – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi

3 May – 3rd ODI, Karachi

5 May – 4th ODI, Karachi

7 May – 5th ODI, Karachi