Hampshire Cricket is pleased to announce that Pakistan international Shahid Afridi has signed for the club for the 2010 Friends Provident T20. Afridi will join Sri Lankan leg spinner Ajantha Mendis as Hampshire’s second overseas player for the competition.

Afridi made his One-Day International debut for Pakistan aged just 16 and scored the fastest recorded one-day hundred in his maiden innings, recording 102 runs off only 37 balls. Regarded as one of the most explosive players in world cricket, Afridi has played 26 Test Matches and 288 One Day Internationals. His 288 One Day International appearances place him third on the appearance list for Pakistan behind only Inzamam-ul-Haq (378) and Wasim Akram (356).

More recently Afridi has excelled in Twenty20 cricket. He was named player of the tournament in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007 and starred as Pakistan won the 2009 tournament in England. In the semi-final against South Africa, Afridi put in a man of the match performance with a rapid half century and 2-16 off four overs and followed up with an unbeaten 54 in the final against Sri Lanka.

Afridi is currently playing for South Australia in the Australian Twenty20 Big Bash and has also represented Deccan Chargers in the IPL.

Hampshire Cricket Chairman, Rod Bransgrove said:

“This is exciting news for Hampshire Cricket and is further evidence of our aspiration to be the best team in all forms of the game as well as providing the best facilities for our members and spectators off the field. The Friends Provident T20 is the shop window for domestic cricket in this country and we want to have the most attractive and successful store in the High Street, ‘Boom Boom’  will certainly help us to do that and everyone at the Club is looking forward to welcoming him here in June.

1st XI Team Manager Giles White commented:

“I am delighted that Shahid has signed to play for us in the Friends Provident T20, he is renowned as one of the best Twenty20 players in the world and is a match winner with both bat and ball. It is an exciting prospect for the club and its supporters to have two such exciting players involved in this year’s competition.”

Afridi commented:

“I am looking forward to playing for Hampshire and looking forward to a successful Twenty20 campaign.”

 

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