Shaheen Afridi’s blistering start lit up the T20 World Cup 2026 at Pallekele, where he dismantled England’s Phil Salt off the very first ball—the first Pakistani to achieve this in tournament history. This masterclass propelled him past Kagiso Rabada to claim the record for most powerplay wickets with 18.
Pakistan, batting first after Salman Agha’s toss victory, endured a top-order wobble. Sam Ayub (7) and Agha (5) perished quickly, but Babar Azam (25 off 24) and the unflappable Sahibzada Farhan (63* off 45, with 7 fours and 2 sixes) rebuilt the innings.
Fakhar Zaman’s 25 off 16 added momentum, and Shadab Khan’s 23 off 11 in the death overs sealed a fighting 164/9. England’s bowlers shone brightly, especially spinner Liam Dawson (3/24), with Jofra Archer (2/32) and Jamie Overton (2/26) providing stellar support.
Bringing Afridi in place of Faheem Ashraf was a game-changing call. His immediate impact has Pakistan dreaming of victory, while England faces an uphill task in the chase. This clash exemplifies the unpredictability and excitement of T20 cricket at its finest.