Shaheen Afridi Names Former South African Batsman as Toughest Opponent. Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi has revealed the toughest batsman he has faced in international cricket, naming a former South African star as his most challenging competitor.
Afridi, a key bowler for Pakistan across all three formats, has so far represented his country in 31 Tests, 66 ODIs, and 84 T20Is. He is currently participating in the UAE T20I Tri-Series.
The tri-series, featuring Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the UAE, is taking place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Both Pakistan and Afghanistan have advanced to the final, scheduled for September 7.
Virat Kohli: Shaheen Afridi Names Hashim Amla as the Toughest Batsman He’s Faced
Shaheen Afridi recently revealed that former South Africa opener Hashim Amla is the toughest batsman he has ever bowled to, surpassing even top Indian batters like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Afridi shared his thoughts during an appearance on the Bricks to Riches podcast.
“I’ve played Test matches and ODIs against him, and he’s a tough competitor. I even faced him in the Vitality Blast T20 tournament in England. He’s a very skilled batsman and excels at what he does,” Afridi said.
When asked whether Amla was tougher to bowl to than Virat Kohli, Afridi emphasized Amla’s dominance. “Virat Kohli is a different player, but Hashim bhai [brother], he’s the absolute toughest,” he added.
Amla enjoyed a prolific international career, featuring in 124 Tests, 181 ODIs, and 44 T20Is for South Africa, amassing over 18,000 runs across formats. Virat Kohli, He ranks as South Africa’s third-highest run-scorer in international cricket and retired in 2019.
Virat Kohli: Meanwhile, Afridi has secured a place in Pakistan’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025. Despite senior players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan being left out, Afridi was selected. Salman Ali Agha will captain the team, which is grouped alongside India, Oman, and the UAE in Group A.
