Salman Butt feels that Shaheen Afridi is at par with Jasprit Bumrah
Salman Butt, Shaheen Afridi, Jasprit Bumrah (Image source- Twitter)
Jasprit Bumrah bowled brilliantly in the first One-Day International against England, recording his career-best figures of 6/19 to lead India to victory at the Oval. The bowler reclaimed the top place in the recent ICC ODI rankings after a fiery effort in the match.
Former cricketers including Nasser Hussain and Sachin Tendulkar have referred to Bumrah as the finest pacer in the world right now. His efforts in the recent Test match, T20I series, and now ODI series have convinced experts. Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt, on the other hand, feels that left-arm Pakistani pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi is on level with Bumrah.
“See, Shaheen hasn’t played as much cricket but he is among the very best. He is no less than him (Bumrah). In fact, Shaheen with experience will only get better and then he has more pace and offers a different angle,” Butt said on his YouTube channel.
Butt showered praise on the two leading bowlers, calling them the best with the new ball. Afridi made his debut in 2018, fivers after Bumrah played for India in 2013. As a result, he played in fewer matches than Bumrah, who is already well-established in international cricket.
“See, both are world cricket’s finest and watching them bowl is an exciting experience. It’s great fun to watch both Bumrah and Shaheen perform, and the way they bowl with the new ball it feels as if a wicket can go down anytime. You don’t get this feeling watching any other bowler,” Butt added.
He said there should be no comparison between the two based on the number of games they have both played. “Nonetheless, for a 21-year-old bowler to perform in the manner that he has is not easy. Both are outstanding. Obviously, Bumrah has played a lot more and is a brilliant performer so, at the moment, there shouldn’t be any comparison. One has played a lot, the other not so much,” he stated.
