Salman Butt has claimed that Shaheen Shah Afridi is no less than Jasprit Bumrah and is among the world’s best at the moment. Jasprit Bumrah produced a stellar show with the ball in the first ODI against England as he claimed his career-best figures of 6/19 to help India register a 10-wicket win at the Oval.
Jasprit Bumrah registered the third-best figures in ODIs for an Indian bowler, only behind Stuart Binny’s 4/6 against Bangladesh and Anil Kumble’s 6/12 against the West Indies.
The premier pacer reclaimed the top spot in the latest ICC ODI rankings after a fierce spell in the series opener. Several former cricketers including Nasser Hussain and Sachin Tendulkar called Jasprit Bumrah the best all-format bowler in the world at the moment.
Salman Butt Reckons Shaheen Shah Afridi No Less Than Jasprit Bumrah
However, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt feels that left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi is no less than the premier India pacer.
“See, Shaheen hasn’t played as much cricket but he is among the very best. He is no less than him (Bumrah). In fact, Shaheen with experience, will only get better and then he has more pace and offers a different angle,” Butt said on his YouTube channel.
Salman Butt heaped huge praise on the two premier bowlers as he feels that they are the best in the business with the new ball.
“See, both are world cricket’s finest and watching them bowl is an exciting experience. It’s great fun to watch both Bumrah and Shaheen perform, and the way they bowl with the new ball it feels as if a wicket can go down anytime. You don’t get this feeling watching any other bowler,” he said.
Jasprit Bumrah has already made a mark in international cricket, while Shaheen Shah Afridi is still young and has played much lesser matches than the Indian pacer.
However, in his short career so far, the left-arm seamer has already made a big impact with some sensational performances including the one in a group stage clash against India in the 2021 T20 WC. Shaheen Shah Afridi is currently placed at number 3 in ICC’s latest rankings for ODI bowlers.
Salman Butt : There Shouldn’t Be Any Comparison Between Shaheen Shah Afridi And Jasprit Bumrah
Salman Butt feels there should not be any comparison between the two looking at the number of matches they both have played.
“Nonetheless, for a 20-year-old bowler to perform in the manner that he has is not easy. Both are outstanding. Obviously, Bumrah has played a lot more and is a brilliant performer so at the moment, there shouldn’t be any comparison. One has played a lot, the other not so much,” he said.
In the 1st ODI, Jasprit Bumrah registered his career-best ODI figures as India bowled out England for a paltry total of 110, before chasing down the total with all 10 wickets to spare. Jasprit Bumrah dismissed four England batters on duck, registering figures of six for 19 in 7.2 overs.
Jasprit Bumrah jumped three places to reach the top of the ICC ODI bowlers rankings, ahead of Trent Boult. Shaheen Shah Afridi is third on the list, followed by Australia’s Josh Hazlewood in fourth.