Experienced Indian off-spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, has stated that Pakistan’s ace pacer, Shaheen Afridi, would have fetched around 14-15 crore had Pakistani players been allowed to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Ashwin stated that a tall left-arm fast bowler who has a knack for picking wickets in the first spell and bowls vicious yorkers at the backend of the innings would have been one of the most sought-after players in India’s premier T20 tournament. He added that Shaheen would have bagged a very lucrative contract if he was available for selection in the competition.
The 35-year-old went on to shower praises on Pakistan’s fast bowling attack. He said that there is no other country in the world that has the ability to produce so many pacers that consistently bowl at 145+ kph. He said that the fast bowling talent in Pakistan is exciting and is blessed with raw talent.
All Pakistani fast bowlers clock 140-145 kph consistently. I don’t think any team in world cricket has such a rich backup of fast bowlers. Pakistan have always been a side with so much raw talent on display.
Ashwin, who himself is part of India’s squad for the ongoing Asia Cup, has not featured in the tournament so far with India preferring leg-spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal, in their first two games.
As for Shaheen, he is not available for Pakistan in the ongoing tournament after suffering from a knee injury during Pakistan’s Test series against Sri Lanka. The 22-year-old is currently in England as he is undergoing rehabilitation in order to recover in time for the upcoming 2022 T20 World Cup.