T20 World Cup 2022: "He is not 100% fit" - Irfan Pathan lauds Shaheen Shah Afridi's spell for Pakistan vs New Zealand

Irfan Pathan has lauded Shaheen Shah Afridi for delivering the goods for Pakistan despite not being fully fit.

Afridi registered figures of 2/24 in his four overs as the Men in Green restricted New Zealand to 152/4 in their T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final in Sydney on Wednesday, November 9. Babar Azam and Co. then chased down the target with seven wickets and five deliveries to spare to become the first to qualify for the final.

While reviewing the game on Star Sports, Pathan was all praise for Afridi, saying:

"I appreciate him a lot. The reason for that is that he is a left-arm bowler who gets the ball to swing and puts in all his effort. But he is not 100% fit. If you talk to him, you will come to know, if you watch his bowling, you will come to know."

The former Indian all-rounder praised the Pakistan left-arm pacer for being an excellent team player. He explained:

"He does not have the full strength in his knees but he gave all his effort for his team and found a way when he was not 100% fit. It is a sign of a good player who is an extremely good teammate. Every team wants a player who gives his life like that."

Afridi missed the Asia Cup after suffering a knee ligament injury. He joined the Pakistan squad ahead of the T20 World Cup after going through a rehabilitation process in England.

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"We have seen his love for wickets in the first over for many years" - Irfan Pathan on Shaheen Shah Afridi

Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed Finn Allen in the first over of the T20 World Cup semi-final.

Pathan pointed out that the tall pacer trapped Finn Allen plumb in front of the wickets in conditions that were not favorable for swing bowling. He observed:

"He started coming back in form the Bangladesh match. We have seen his love for wickets in the first over for many years. These were not the conditions to bowl full and hit the pads to get wickets. He got the wicket but before that also the umpire had given it out but it was not out."

The cricketer-turned-commentator appreciated the 22-year-old for meticulously planning Kane Williamson's wicket. He elaborated:

"Then coming back and bowling around the wicket to dismiss Kane Williamson. It was a wicket of great intelligence, first swing and then a slower one. You don't want to give pace to Kane Williamson. He cannot generate the power at all when you bowl the slower ones on such a slow pitch."

Williamson was bowled behind his legs while trying to play a scoop shot off a slower delivery. The dismissal helped Pakistan break a 68-run partnership between the Kiwi skipper and Daryl Mitchell for the fourth wicket, which was threatening to take the game away from the Men in Green.