London: Pakistan paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi enjoyed a breakthrough World Cup campaign, prompting Wasim Akram to hail the teenager as a future star.
The teenager recorded Pakistan’s best-ever World Cup bowling figures with a scintillating spell of 6-35 in Friday’s win over Bangladesh at Lord’s.
Despite that victory in their last group match, Pakistan failed to qualify for the semifinals as they had an inferior net run-rate compared to fourth-placed New Zealand, who also had 11 points from nine matches.
But the gloom of not reaching the last four was lifted by a series of eye-catching performances from Shaheen and several other rising Pakistan stars that offered hope for the coming years.
Wasim, who starred in Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup triumph, said he was delighted to have witnessed Shaheen’s progress.
“Definitely, Shaheen is one for the future, a beacon of light for the next generation of fast bowlers,” the former left-arm quick told AFP.
“Shaheen is hard-working and a quick learner so these traits will take him to places.”
Wasim was surprised that Pakistan delayed Shaheen’s World Cup baptism, leaving him out until the fourth match of their campaign against Australia in Taunton.
“Shaheen is a wicket-taking bowler and that was known before the World Cup, so it’s over me why he was not played from the start.”
Shaheen’s three wickets against New Zealand came in the space of just 20 balls and announced his arrival as a major threat as he dismissed Colin Munro, Ross Taylor and Tom Latham.
He took 4-47 against Afghanistan and finished with a flourish, with 6-35 against Bangladesh.
He became the youngest player to take a five-wicket haul at the World Cup — at 19 years and 90 days — surpassing Kenyan spinner Collins Obuya’s 2003 feat when he was aged 21 years and 212 days.
“I am delighted to have performed like this,” said Shaheen, who finished with 16 wickets in five games.
“But I am sure that this is only the beginning and I have to go far to attain greatness like Wasim and Waqar Younis.”
Shaheen is one of many Pakistani left-arm seam bowlers to have idolized Wasim.
The 19-year-old made his mark in a domestic match in September 2017, claiming eight wickets for just 39 runs in a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy game.
Within a short space of time he was compared to Wasim and Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Starc.
Shaheen graduated to Pakistan colors in the Twenty20 series against the West Indies in April last year, but his first major success came against New Zealand in last year’s one-day series in the United Arab Emirates.
He claimed back-to-back four wicket hauls and was named as the man of the series.
Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur predicts Shaheen will be the best in the business.
“I have seen the progress of Starc,” said Arthur, who also briefly coached Australia. “Shaheen can be better than all those who are in the business, because he has that will and talent.”
High-flying Shaheen is future Pakistan star, says Wasim
High-flying Shaheen is future Pakistan star, says Wasim
- Shaheen records Pakistan's best-ever World Cup bowling figures in Friday's win over Bangladesh
- Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals despite four consecutive wins
Pakistan rejects Amnesty claims of Israeli spyware use, calls reports ‘disinformation’
- FO denies any link with Israel, says Pakistan has “absolutely no cooperation” on surveillance tools
- Islamabad accuses India of delaying clearance for relief aircraft bound for flood-hit Sri Lanka
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday rejected an Amnesty International report alleging the use of Israeli-made invasive spyware in the country, calling the findings speculative and misleading.
Amnesty’s investigation, published Thursday under the title Intellexa Leaks, cited the case of a Pakistan-based human rights lawyer who reported receiving a suspicious WhatsApp link in 2025. According to Amnesty International’s Security Lab, the link bore signatures consistent with Predator, a spyware product developed by Israeli manufacturer c
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi dismissed the suggestion that Islamabad had deployed the tool or maintained any technological cooperation with Israel.
“These are all media speculations. These are all rumor-mongering and disinformation. There is absolutely no cooperation between Pakistan and Israel on anything, let alone a spyware or these kinds of tools. So, I would reject it quite emphatically,” he said at a weekly briefing.
Andrabi also accused India of obstructing humanitarian operations, saying New Delhi delayed flight clearance for a Pakistani relief aircraft carrying aid to flood-affected Sri Lanka.
“The special aircraft carrying Pakistan’s relief goods had to wait for 48 hours, in fact more than 48 hours, around 60 hours, while the flight clearance from India was delayed,” he said.
He added that the eventual conditional flight window was too narrow to be workable.
“The partial flight clearance which eventually was given after 48 hours was operationally impractical, time-bound just for a few hours and hence not operable, severely hindering the urgent need for the relief mission for the brotherly people of Sri Lanka,” Andrabi stated.
“Humanitarian assistance is like justice, if it is delayed, it is denied.”
Responding to India’s claim that clearance was granted within four hours, he said Pakistan has documentary proof contradicting New Delhi’s version.
On a separate question about reported delays in the arrival of a Turkish delegation aimed at mediating between Islamabad and Kabul, Andrabi said Pakistan welcomed Ankara’s initiative but was unaware of the cause of postponement.
“We stand ready to receive the Turkish delegation. That delegation has not arrived as yet. And I’m not aware of any schedule. Pakistan is ready to hold negotiations, discussions,” he said, adding that the delay may be linked to coordination with the Afghan side.
