Pakistan star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been signed by English county side Middlesex for the upcoming 2022 season.
After the association, the star pacer will be available for the county side for T20 and First-Class matches and it will be his first stint in a county championship.
Earlier, Afridi had played T20 blast for Hampshire.
“Middlesex are delighted to announce that Pakistan international pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will join the Club for the 2022 season,” announced the county side in a statement.
“Left-arm quick, Afridi, 21, will join up with the Middlesex squad in pre-season ahead of the start of the 2022 season, and will remain at Middlesex until he joins up with Pakistan for international duty in mid-July,” the statement added.
Afridi will be available to represent the Middlesex’s side in County Championship cricket till mid-July and the entirety of the T20 Blast campaign, including the knockout stages of the tournament but it would depend if Middlesex qualify for the next stage.
Commenting on Afridi, the county side’s Chief Executive Andrew Cornish said that Shaheen is a world-class pace bowler, and the team is thrilled that he will be representing the side in 2022.
“His signature was highly sought-after, and the fact that he has chosen to join Middlesex is a massive coup for us as a club and speaks volumes of our ambitions. Signing players of Shaheen’s calibre, who can add quality and experience to our existing squad, is a significant step towards us getting there,” he said.
On the other hand, Afridi, 21, said that he was delighted on being signed by Middlesex and he’s looking forward to the stint with them.
“I am very excited to be playing for Middlesex next season. I know from my time in England they are a great county and to play at the home of cricket really will be a dream come true. I am looking forward to being part of the team and helping create a wonderful season for the club,” he said in a statement released by Middlesex.
Notably, Afridi hogged limelight during his campaign at the 2019 World Cup. Although he didn’t featured in all the matches for his country in the showpiece event, he made full use of the conditions in England and generated good pace and also doled out fine variations at the death. He had ended up with 16 wickets in the tourney.
After making his Test debut against New Zealand at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi on Dec 03, 2018, he had played 19 Tests in his career so far, and has scalped 76 wickets, averaging 25.25.
He has played 28 ODIs and 30 T20Is till now, grabbing 53 and 32 wickets respectively.