Pakistan’s fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi marked the birth of his first child in a memorable way during the opening Test against Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Shaheen and his wife, Ansha, welcomed their son, whom they named Ali Yar. Despite initial speculations that Shaheen might skip the Test series for the birth of his child remarks made by Pakistan’s red-ball coach, Jason Gillespie the determined pacer chose to represent his country in the match.
In the game, Shaheen had to put in considerable effort to claim his wickets as Bangladesh secured a substantial lead of 117 runs in their first innings. Known for his usual celebration style of raising his arms after taking a wicket, Shaheen chose to celebrate differently this time. After claiming his first wicket of the match, he performed a cradling gesture to honor his newborn son, showcasing his happiness and pride. The celebration came after Bangladesh batsman Hasan Mahmud attempted a shot on the on-side, only to edge the ball. Mohammad Rizwan made no mistake in taking the catch, allowing Shaheen to open his wicket tally. Later in the innings, Shaheen dismissed Mehidy Hasan Miraz, ending with respectable figures of 30 overs, conceding 88 runs and taking two wickets.
– Shaheen dedicated the wicket to his new born baby. pic.twitter.com/vyptUtOR2O — Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 24, 2024
Following the birth of his child, Shaheen Shah Afridi received a flood of congratulatory messages from the cricket community. Among those extending their well wishes was Arshad Nadeem, the recent gold medalist in men’s javelin at the Paris Olympics 2024. Nadeem, who set an Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters, also congratulated Shahid Afridi on becoming a grandfather.
Congratulations to Shaheen Shah Afridi on the birth of your precious baby boy And heartfelt congratulations to Shahid Afridi @SAfridiOfficial on becoming a grandfather. May Allah bless the little one with health, happiness. Prayers and best wishes to your family… — Arshad Nadeem (@ArshadOlympian) August 24, 2024
Pakistan Struggling Against Bangladesh
On the cricketing front, Pakistan displayed an inconsistent performance on what was considered an excellent pitch for batting. While they managed to post a decent score initially, led by Shan Masood, the team’s bowlers struggled to maintain the momentum. Bangladesh capitalized on the favorable batting conditions, with Mushfiqur Rahim scoring a remarkable 191 runs and Shadman Islam contributing a solid 93. These significant innings ensured that Bangladesh comfortably surpassed Pakistan’s total, putting the hosts on the back foot as the match progressed.