Sharjah: Pakistan player Abdullah Shafiq has a record of shame in Twenty20. The player has made a ‘record’ of being the first player to return zero in four consecutive matches. The 23-year-old was out of zero in the two matches played in 2020 and the matches in 2023.
In 2020, Shafiq, who was dismissed in the second ball of the Twenty20 against New Zealand in Auckland, was also dismissed in the second ball in the second match in Hamilton. After that, I got an opportunity in Twenty20. The fate was to return as ‘Daka’ in the first two matches of the Twenty20 series against Afghanistan. In the first match, Shafiq became the 28th bowler to return for a wicket in three consecutive matches when he was caught lbw by Asmatullah Omarzai.
However, in the second match, the player was caught in front of the wicket by Fazlhaq Farooqui and made the ‘record’ in his own name. Recently, India’s Suryakumar Yadav held the record of embarrassment by scoring three consecutive ODIs against Australia. However, there is a difference that the Pakistani star returned to zero consecutively in Twenty20.
Shafiq made his Twenty20 debut against Zimbabwe in November 2020. He remained unbeaten on 41 runs that day. He played 12 Test matches and scored 992 runs including three centuries and four fifties.
In the second Twenty20, Afghanistan won the three-match series by defeating Pakistan by seven wickets. This is the first time that Afghanistan have won the series against one of the ‘Top Six’ teams in cricket. After winning the toss and batting, Pakistan scored 130 runs for the loss of six wickets and Afghanistan reached victory with one ball to spare.