Notts sign Shaheen

LAHORE: Nottinghamshire Outlaws have signed Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi for the 2023 T20 Blast. The lanky pacer is the second T20 overseas signing for the side after New Zealand’s top-order batter Colin Munro.

Afridi has 47 International T20 caps to his name, along with 25 Test and 32 One Day International appearances for his country. The left-armer has led Lahore Qalandars to back-to-back Pakistan Super League (PSL) titles, with the most recent victory coming earlier this month.

“Notts play an aggressive brand of cricket, which suits me well,” Afridi said. “They’ve had great success in recent years and the likes of Alex Hales, Colin Munro and Joe Clarke are players I have faced up against in recent years and been impressed by.

“The goal is obviously to influence games to make the team as successful as possible. “Having played at Trent Bridge, I know it is a fast-scoring ground and as a bowler you need to get your line and lengths right, but you also get the rewards when you do that.

“It’s definitely an exciting move for me, and one I’m looking forward to.” Head coach Peter Moores is also keen on working with Afridi while also calling the latter a “world class player”.

“In Shaheen, we’ve got a world class player - which is really exciting - and a player with a point of difference with the ball, which is crucial when we are looking to recruit,” Moores said. “We are building from a strong platform, with a lot of very talented lads hungry to play T20, and Shaheen adds star quality and a different angle to that group.

“He has proven himself on big stages; he is fiercely passionate in the way he plays his cricket, and he’ll be hugely engaging for everyone to watch for that reason. “We want to bounce back from last year’s campaign, and this signing invigorates the club; he makes impacts in big games, and is a box office player. “Alongside Munro, who is one of the top run scorers in the history of the format, we’ve got two very unique talents, both of whom will play a big role for us as we look to bring back silverware.”