Shaheen Shah Afridi’s much-anticipated Big Bash League debut turned into a difficult outing as the Pakistan fast bowler was removed from the attack for dangerous bowling during Brisbane Heat’s clash against Melbourne Renegades in Geelong.
Entering the match with significant hype, especially with fellow Pakistan star Mohammad Rizwan also making his BBL debut for the Renegades, Afridi struggled to find rhythm and control, resulting in an expensive and frustrating night.
Shaheen Afridi Removed for Dangerous Bowling on BBL Debut
The defining moment of Afridi’s debut came in the 18th over of the Renegades’ innings. After Brisbane Heat elected to field, Afridi bowled two waist-high full tosses—one to Tim Seifert and another to Ollie Peake. Both deliveries were ruled no-balls, and umpires subsequently removed him from the attack under dangerous bowling regulations.
Following the decision, Afridi could be seen wearing a wry grin as Heat captain Nathan McSweeney was forced to step in and deliver the final two balls of the over. The episode summed up a challenging initiation into the BBL for the left-arm pacer.
Afridi finished with tough figures of 0 for 43 from just 2.4 overs, conceding three no-balls and two wides. While his second over of the innings had shown promise with three consecutive dot balls, consistency proved elusive as the game progressed.
Renegades Dominate as Seifert Stars in Geelong
After that early promise, Afridi was not reintroduced until the 13th over when Melbourne Renegades activated the power surge. The move backfired for Brisbane Heat, with Afridi conceding 19 runs in that over. The 18th over then compounded his woes, leaking 15 runs including three no-balls before he was taken out of the attack entirely.
Melbourne Renegades capitalized on the momentum to post a commanding total of 212 for 5. Tim Seifert led the charge with a superb 102 off 56 balls, while young Ollie Peake provided strong support, smashing 57 from just 29 deliveries.
Mohammad Rizwan, batting at number three in his own BBL debut, had a quiet outing, scoring 4 off 10 balls before being dismissed by left-arm spinner Paddy Dooley. Despite Rizwan’s low score, the Renegades’ batting depth and aggression proved too much for the Heat on the night.
For Shaheen Shah Afridi, the match served as a harsh reminder of the challenges of adapting to Australian conditions and the BBL’s high-intensity environment, with fans now eager to see how he responds in the games ahead.
