[Watch] Shaheen Afridi involved in heated exchange with a fan ahead of IRE vs PAK 2nd T20I in Dublin
Pakistan bowling spearhead Shaheen Afridi was involved in a heated discussion with a fan ahead of the Men in Green's second T20I against Ireland at the Clontarf Cricket Club Ground in Dublin on Sunday, May 12. The Babar Azam-led side ended up winning the encounter by seven wickets to level the series 1-1.
The incident took place when Shaheen Afridi was on his way to the ground. The bowler was clearly upset by the fan's comments and stopped to confront him amid a sea of people.
Shaheen did not stick around and allow things to escalate, instead calling security to take appropriate action. The security personnel then evicted the fan from the premises, with the latter protesting heavily. Have a look at the incident right here:
The fan was apparently carrying an Afghanistan flag, and their rivalry against the Men in Green has made headlines on numerous occasions in the recent past. Fans of both countries were involved in a major tussle after their 2019 ODI World Cup game in Leeds.
Shaheen Afridi finished with figures of 3-49 and reached 300-wicket landmark in international cricket
The left-arm pacer was responsible for the dismissals of Andy Balbirnie, Paul Stirling, and Mark Adair on Sunday, recording figures of 3-49. With the dismissal of the Ireland skipper Paul Stirling, Afridi reached the landmark of 300 wickets in international cricket after 29 Test, 53 ODI and 63 T20I appearances.
Shaheen Afridi's spell, along with Abbas Afridi's two-wicket haul, helped Pakistan restrict Ireland to 193-7. After a shock defeat in the series opener, the Men in Green chased down the total comfortably with more than three overs to spare. The visitors were reduced to 13-2 at one stage, with skipper Babar Azam being dismissed for a four-ball duck.
Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman scored 75 and 78 runs, respectively, and were aided by a 10-ball 30-run cameo by Azam Khan.
Shaheen Afridi had bowled a tight spell of 1-26 in the series opener, and will next be seen in action in the third and final T20I scheduled to take place on Tuesday, May 14.