Not Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma! Shaheen Afridi names the toughest batter he faced in international cricket

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One of the most exciting fast bowlers of his generation, Shaheen Afridi, has made a surprising revelation that has reverberated across the cricketing world. In a recent appearance in Bricks to Riches Podcast, the Pakistan pacer was asked to name the most challenging batter he has ever bowled against. His response, which was neither a current rival nor a contemporary of his own, like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, highlighting a unique respect he holds for a retired batting maestro.

The player whom Shaheen reveres as his most formidable opponent is none other than the South African batting legend, Hashim Amla. The left-arm pacer’s choice is a profound tribute to Amla’s technical prowess and unwavering resolve, qualities that proved to be a constant source of frustration for even the best of bowlers. Over his glittering career, Amla amassed a staggering 18,672 runs across all formats, including 55 centuries and 80 fifties.

Afridi’s admiration stems from their on-field duels, and he elaborated on this during his podcast appearance: “I’ve played test matches and ODIs against him, and he’s a tough competitor. I have also played a match against him in the Vitality Blast, a Twenty20 cricket tournament in England. I felt that he’s a very good batsman, and he is very good at what he does.” The stat sheet from their encounters further validates Afridi’s perspective, as the pace sensation only managed to dismiss Amla twice in six ODI encounters, with the South African remaining undefeated by him in the longest format of the game.

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Shaheen’s remarkable respect for Amla was put into sharp relief when the podcast host directly asked if Amla was tougher to bowl to than India’s Kohli. Afridi’s response was both respectful and absolute, dismissing any comparison by stating: “Virat Kohli is a different player, but Hashim bhai [brother], he’s the toughest. Absolute toughest,” The comment is particularly striking given Afridi’s memorable spell against India in the T20 World Cup 2021, where he dismantled their top-order, including Kohli, with a fiery spell of 3/31.

This pivotal performance helped Pakistan secure their first-ever World Cup victory against their arch-rivals. Reflecting on the pressure of bowling to a ‘main player’ like Kohli, Afridi’s mindset reveals his calm composure under pressure: ‘When you get out a main player, your team gets a boost, right. That’s the main wicket you take. Pressure bills on the other team, but nothing in my mind ever. Nothing ever in my mind,’ While he acknowledges the significance of a wicket like Kohli’s, his unwavering conviction about Amla’s defensive and batting technique remains, cementing the South African’s status as his ultimate rival.

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