English cricketer Alex Hales praises Shaheen Shah Afridi and tags him as “one of the best new-ball bowlers”.
Alex Hales praises Shaheen Shah Afridi
It will not be an easy option for Alex Hales to forget the Pakistan speedster. Hales’ dream of creating an impact in the ICC T20 World Cup Final game was scattered by none other than Shaheen Shah Afridi.
With a need of 138 to win the T20 World Cup 2022 trophy, England batters Jos Buttler and Alex Hales walked down to the crease. In the very first over, Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed Hales after scoring just 1 run.
These rivals will soon be teammates in Nottinghamshire during the 2023 Vitality Blast. Ahead of the announcement, Hales praised Shaheen Shah Afridi for his impeccable skills and stated that the moment he was dismissed by Afridi in the final had left him in no doubt about the quality of the bowler.
“In my opinion, with the late swing he gets from a six-foot-seven frame, Shaheen is one of the best new-ball bowlers in the world,” said Hales.
“It was a lovely ball from him early on, and it meant I spent a lot of time in the changing rooms watching our chase. It was a pretty long and nervy hour and a half or so!
“Had Shaheen not been unfortunate enough to pick up an injury it could have been much tighter.
“He was devastated when he got injured: we could actually hear him shouting and grunting from the changing rooms. In the end, it was an awesome game of cricket – and to win the world title was as special as it gets.”
Hales on Playing alongside Munro
Afridi will join Colin Munro as one of the club’s two T20 overseas players. As the excitement builds for the upcoming season, Hales and the Outlaws are optimistic about their chances with Afridi and Munro leading the charge.
“That is just an outstanding signing,” said Hales of Munro’s impending arrival. “I’ve been lucky enough to play a lot of cricket with him over the past 12 to 18 months, and he’s an excellent player.
“He’s got the ability to adapt in all conditions – whether it’s a tough deck or a flat pitch – and he’ll be an excellent addition to the dressing room as a character.
“We have a bit to prove this year – missing out on the quarter-finals last season was an incredibly bitter pill to swallow – so we’re really keen to go out there and make a statement of intent.”
As per the schedule, Nottinghamshire will play their first match of the season against Derbyshire on May 26 in Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
