Shahid Afridi might have finally retired (we think) from international cricket but on Friday, the 37-year-old pulled off what could well go down as one of the best catches of all time.
Playing for Karachi Kings in the third edition of Pakistan Super League, Afridi rolled back the years and completed a stunning effort at the boundary line in the second match of the T20 franchise tournament that kicked off on Thursday in Dubai.
The left-handed Umar Amin was on strike against Mohammed Irfan Jr in a tight run-chase for Quetta Gladiators. The ball landed in the hitting zone of the batsman, who cleared his front leg, freed his arms and swung through the line. He hadn’t middled it however, and ended up getting more height than distance. Stationed at long on, Afridi was a few inches ahead of the boundary ropes. With the ball well over his head, he stretched his right hand, plucked the ball out of thin air, threw the ball back just in time, and completed a stunning routine.
CricProf, a statistical analysis-based account on Twitter, said that this was a catch that had a mere 5% chance of success. That’s how good that take was.
And of course, Afridi being Afridi, celebrated the catch in his typical style - arms aloft, soaking the adulation in, as the crowd in Dubai went ballistic.
Watch it here:
OUT! 12.3 Mohammad Irfan to Umar Amin
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 23, 2018
Watch the match at https://t.co/NmtKmiJDoh#HBLPSL #DilSeJaanLagaDe #KKvQG #Cricingif #PSL2018 pic.twitter.com/XV3xWOcjyo
Afridi’s catch sent social media into a frenzy.
What a CATCH!!!! @SAfridiOfficial https://t.co/WuDS4gImog
— Karachi Kings (@KarachiKingsARY) February 23, 2018
Possibly the greatest catch of his sterling career?
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 23, 2018
Sensational stuff @SAfridiOfficial #DilSeJaanLagaDe #QGvKK https://t.co/IcG6et4BOZ
Shahid Afridi is truly an ageless cricketer. 21 years after his debut he is still finding ways to entertain the crowd. The catch by him today, without exaggeration, is the greatest effort by a Pakistani fielder on the boundary. He’s the real Karachi King! pic.twitter.com/JRBHPIZvMA
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) February 23, 2018
- if catches win matches then this one from Shahid Afridi should win KK the tournament! Absolutely surreal!! #HBLPSL
— Asif Khan (@mak_asif) February 23, 2018
OUT! That's an absolute stunner by Shahid Afridi! What a catch! Umar Amin smashed it and it was headed for six, but he plucks it one handed then throws it up to catch it inside the boundary! That is just brilliant! Umar Amin out for 31, QG 70/6 in 12.2 overs #PSl2018 #KKvsQG pic.twitter.com/lEKO7lMlg3
— PakPassion.net (@PakPassion) February 23, 2018
afridi alone is 124567757877th time bigger than lahore qalandars
— Ali (@AleyFarooq) February 23, 2018
I am sorry but I love Afridi more than Lahore. I am so sorry.
— Rana Talha Asfar (@RTAluvzAfridi) February 23, 2018
Shahid Afridi’s catch is one of only three catches in our fielding database - which started in the 2016 WT20 & covers all major T20 - that was given a 5% chance of success. #HBLPSL
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) February 23, 2018
Shahid ‘super’ Afridi.. limelight follows the man himself.. What a heroic catch to kick off the season.. #KKvQG #Afridi https://t.co/ePUPux2X9R
— Sawera Pasha (@sawerapasha) February 23, 2018
Afridi has just rolled back the years there. Stunning hokey-pokey near the boundary ropes #KKvQG #PSL
— Arun Venugopal (@scarletrun) February 23, 2018
WHAT THE HELL. AFRIDI HAS DONE ENOUGH FOR THIS PSL.
— محمد شبیر سجاد کاظمی (@HaayeShabbir) February 23, 2018
Boom boom, indeed!