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Pakistan’s seasoned fast bowler, Shaheen Afridi, has opted out of participating in this year’s The Hundred tournament in England, where he was set to represent the Welsh Fire. This decision comes following his removal as the white-ball captain in April. Afridi was recently in England as part of Pakistan’s European tour, which commenced with a successful 3-match T20I series against Ireland, clinched by Pakistan with a 2-1 victory. Subsequently, the team traveled to the United Kingdom for a 4-match series against England.
The series began with the first T20I getting washed out at Headingley. In the second encounter at Edgbaston, England secured a 23-run win over Pakistan. The third T20I suffered a similar fate, being abandoned without a ball bowled. In the fourth and final match at the Oval, England emerged victorious again, clinching the series 2-0. Although Afridi impressed with figures of 3/36 in the second match, he remained wicketless in the series finale.
Shaheen Afridi has decided to withdraw from participating in the 2024 edition of The Hundred tournament.
In the previous edition of The Hundred in 2023, Shaheen Afridi showcased his skills in six matches for the Welsh Fire, quickly winning over fans with his impressive performances. His contributions were so noteworthy that the Wales-based franchise opted to retain him for the 2024 season. While his Pakistani teammates, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, went unselected during the drafts earlier this year, Afridi was retained by Welsh Fire in the £100,000 category, highlighting his significance to the team.
However, reports from England’s Telegraph surfaced on Saturday morning suggesting that Afridi might choose to withdraw from The Hundred this year. With only 52 days remaining until the competition commences, Afridi is reportedly considering participating in the upcoming Canadian Global T20 league instead. The scheduling of the GT20 league coincides with The Hundred, and Afridi seems to favor playing in Canada over England due to the shorter duration of the Canadian league.
This decision allows Afridi more time to spend with his family, which appears to be his primary motivation for favoring the Canadian league over The Hundred. Although there has been no official confirmation from Afridi’s side, Welsh Fire may need to begin their search for a replacement if the reports prove to be accurate.
The Oval Invincibles are the defending champions of The Hundred tournament.
The Hundred is a distinctive cricket competition conceived by the English Cricket Board, aiming to attract viewership with its innovative 100-ball format. Each team is restricted to 100 balls to set or chase totals and to claim all 10 wickets. The tournament features eight teams in both the Men’s and Women’s divisions, running concurrently.
The eight teams participating in the tournament are Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Manchester Originals, Super Northern Chargers, Oval Invincibles, Southern Brave, Trent Rockets, and Welsh Fire. The Oval Invincibles will enter the competition as the defending champions, having emerged victorious against Manchester in the 2023 final.
