Hampshire sign Pakistan seamer Shaheen Afridi for T20 Blast

Shaheen, who claimed 16 wickets in five matches at this year's World Cup, joins as an overseas player and will be available for the entirety of the competition

Hampshire have announced the signing of 19-year-old Pakistan paceman Shaheen Afridi for the duration of next year’s T20 Blast campaign.

Shaheen, who claimed 16 wickets in five matches at this year’s World Cup, joins as an overseas player and will be available for the entirety of the competition.

The seamer has swiftly made an impact on international cricket, taking 73 wickets in 35 matches across all three formats for his country. No bowler bettered his figures of 6-35 against Bangladesh at Lord’s during the World Cup.

The tall left-armer has featured in 10 T20 internationals for Pakistan and has 40 wickets at 21.80 under his belt in T20 cricket.

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"I am delighted to sign with Hampshire for the upcoming Vitality Blast competition," said Shaheen.

"I have always enjoyed playing in England in front of the fantastic fans and I look forward to joining this historic club for my first experience of county cricket."

Hampshire director of cricket, Giles White, said the club are thrilled to acquire the bowler’s services.

"A lot of the best sides in T20 cricket possess a very good bowling attack and Shaheen adds an extra dimension to the group we have, offering excellent accuracy, pace and lots of variations," said White.

"He’s an emerging young talent in world cricket so we’re delighted to have him on board for next summer’s Vitality Blast."

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