Shaheen Afridi takes hat-trick in National Champions Cup final: Stats
What's the story
Pakistan's ODI captain Shaheen Afridi put on a stellar performance in the National Champions Cup final, leading his team Pakistan Gold to victory. The left-arm fast bowler took seven wickets, including a hat-trick, against Pakistan Greens. His phenomenal bowling display not only helped his team clinch the title but also earned him the Player of the Match award.
Match impact
Afridi's match-winning spell secures title for Pakistan Gold
Afridi opened the bowling in the second innings but went wicketless in his first spell.
However, he made a strong comeback in the 25th over, taking three wickets for just four runs.
His performance turned the game around as Pakistan Greens went from a comfortable position to losing four wickets quickly.
In his third spell, Afridi took four more wickets including a hat-trick, ending Pakistan Greens's innings at 239 runs and securing victory for Pakistan Gold by 101 runs.
Tournament stats
Afridi was the top wicket-taker in the tournament
Afridi was the top wicket-taker in the National Champions Cup, claiming 13 wickets in four innings.
He was five wickets ahead of second-placed Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Wasim.
In the final, Pakistan Gold batted first and posted a challenging total of 340 runs, thanks to a century from Saad Khan.
Test omission
Afridi's exclusion from Test team raises eyebrows
Despite his stellar performance in the National Champions Cup final, Afridi was not included in Pakistan's red-ball preparatory camp ahead of June this year.
He was also left out of the Test series against West Indies and England.
His pace during the Tests against Bangladesh earlier this year had also come under heavy scrutiny as he bowled in the high-120s and early 130s.