Shaheen Afridi spoke out about his verbal spat with Matthew Breetzke during a match in the ODI tri-nation series. The altercation, which involved physical contact, was acknowledged by Shaheen as an attempt to unnerve the batter. He highlighted the subsequent handshake between them, indicating no long-term issue. Additionally, he addressed Pakistan’s struggles in the death overs, calling for improvement in their bowling performance.
Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi addressed his recent verbal confrontation with South African batter Matthew Breetzke during an ODI tri-nation series match. The altercation arose in the 28th over when Shaheen obstructed Breetzke while he attempted a single, resulting in inappropriate physical contact and a heated discussion between the players. Shaheen later stated that his intention was to unsettle Breetzke and acknowledged that the matter was resolved after the match when they shook hands.
During an interview, Shaheen shared, “For the first time, Matthew didn’t say anything. I kept teasing him to get a wicket. Whatever happened on the field stayed there. Matthew and I met, shook hands, and became good friends.” Following the incident, Shaheen was fined 25% of his match fee for breaching Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct concerning inappropriate physical contact during an international match.
In addition to discussing the confrontation, Shaheen expressed concern over Pakistan’s struggle in the death overs, which was evident during the tri-nation series. In their opener against New Zealand, he and teammate Naseem Shah were tasked with handling the last overs, yet faced significant runs from Glenn Phillips, who scored 71 runs in just four overs.
This issue persisted in the match against South Africa, with the bowling trio of Naseem, Mohammad Hasnain, and Khushdil Shah conceding 46 runs in the final four overs, allowing South Africa to set an imposing score of 352/5. Shaheen admitted, “We admit that we haven’t been performing well in the final overs.”
Shaheen Afridi’s admission about his altercation with Matthew Breetzke highlights the competitive nature of international cricket, where tension can erupt on the field. However, his acknowledgment of the need for better performance in the death overs underlines ongoing challenges for the Pakistan bowling unit. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining composure and sportsmanship, even during high-stakes matches. Moving forward, Pakistan must address their late-innings bowling weaknesses to improve their performance in future games.
Original Source: thenewsmill.com
