Cricket, like life, has a funny way of flipping the script overnight. Just a day ago, former Pakistan pacer Sohail Tanvir was all over the headlines, criticizing Shaheen Shah Afridi and his cricketing smarts.
To be honest, the timing couldn’t have been worse for Shaheen, who had just led Lahore Qalandars to a disappointing defeat in the PSL 10 opener against Islamabad United.
Tanvir, never one to mince his words, didn’t hold back.
“He has everything—pace, swing, skill—but he doesn’t use his brain,” Tanvir said bluntly.
He went on to say that Shaheen lacks game awareness and decision-making, insisting that even the best plans made with coaches are useless if the bowler can’t adapt in the moment.
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“You have to read the game. Coaches can guide you, but the final decision is yours. If you don’t counterattack, you’ll get punished,” Tanvir added.
He even praised Shaheen for adding outswing to his arsenal but followed it up with a cutting remark: “He’s not smart enough yet.”
And Then Came the Reply… On the Field.
Less than 24 hours later, Shaheen Afridi let the ball do the talking.
Facing a strong Quetta Gladiators side, the Lahore Qalandars captain led from the front with a fierce spell of fast bowling. He picked up two huge wickets — Saud Shakeel (1) and the dangerous Finn Allen (0) — both inside the powerplay.
Suddenly, that whole “doesn’t use his brain” narrative? Looked a bit shaky.
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Afridi’s two overs cost just six runs and effectively derailed Quetta’s chase before it even got going. Lahore went on to thump the Gladiators by 79 runs, marking a massive comeback after their opening loss.
Talent or Tactics — Or Both?
Tanvir’s criticism wasn’t entirely baseless. Shaheen Afridi does have moments where he gets predictable — especially when batters line him up after a couple of overs. But to say he’s not smart enough?
That might be a stretch, especially after the way he turned things around in the very next match.
Cricket fans love a spicy debate, and this one has it all — a former pacer calling out a current star and that star firing back with wickets and a win.
Whether or not Shaheen “uses his brain” enough is still up for discussion, but one thing’s for sure: he’s still learning, evolving, and — when it matters — delivering.
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