Shaheen Shah Afridi one of the bowlers I hugely admire: Stuart Broad

Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad has praised Pakistani speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi, calling him "one of my favourite bowlers." Broad and experienced Indian wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik spoke with Shaheen, who is now playing for Welsh Fire in the 2023 edition of the Hundred Men's competition, at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Friday, before Welsh Fire's match against Southern Brave.

Shaheen debuted in the Hundred two days ago at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff against the Manchester Originals. The left-hander's first two deliveries resulted in the dismissal of veteran batsmen Phil Salt and Laurie Evans. His bowling helped the Fire to a nine-run victory over the Originals in a 40-ball encounter that was cut short due to rain.

Broad, who just retired following the last Ashes Test at KIA Oval, lauded Shaheen for his "inspiring" bowling. Earlier this year, Shaheen participated in the Twenty20 Blast with the Nottinghamshire Outlaws. Broad, a native of Nottingham, has been a member of the Outlaws for quite some time.

I enjoy watching bowlers from all around the globe, but Shaheen Shah Afridi is among my favourites. Broad was cited as stating to Sky Sports, "He has got such a great presence about him when he runs in, and I love bowlers run in with energy and vibrancy to their run up."

The way the ball swings back into the right-handers because of his innate skill is amazing to behold. And this summer, he played for my favourite team, the Notts Outlaws. He said, "He's one of the bowlers I like much, and I want to see him succeed.

Following the Hundred, Shaheen will compete in the Asia Cup, which will be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka between August 30 and September 17. When Pakistan competes in the World Cup 2023, which will be hosted in India, Shaheen is also anticipated to play a significant part.