Shaheen Afridi signed off his stint in the DP World International League T20 after defeat for Desert Vipers at Dubai International Stadium on Thursday night.
The Pakistan captain was due to fly back to his homeland on Friday morning to get ready for Pakistan Super League duty with Lahore Qalandars.
The fast bowler was the headline signing ahead of the second season of the UAE’s franchise league. While he might have been partly to thank for the sharp increase in attendances at games so far this campaign, his bowling returns for his new team were in fact a little short of his best.
The four-wicket loss to Dubai Capitals in his final match leaves the Vipers, who were runners-up last season, in last place in the six-team table.
Shaheen managed six wickets in his five matches, with an economy rate of 8.65. He bowled the penultimate over of his last game with the Capitals requiring 19 off the last two to win, and conceded 15.
Despite his struggles, he will still leave a lasting impact according to Rohan Mustafa, his Vipers teammate. The UAE allrounder struck up a strong bond with the superstar fast bowler over the past few weeks.
“I was not expecting that he would be such a kind, nice person,” Mustafa said.
“At the start he would sit with me and we had a lot of exchanges. I used to play with his brother [one-time Pakistan fast bowler Riaz] a lot.
“I told him I was his captain when he came here, and we struck up a bond because of that. We have become friends, and I can say he is a very nice person.”
Despite defeat, Mustafa himself could at least toast a return to form. He blazed a fine 50, the top score of the Vipers innings, and shared in a fine alliance with Alex Hales.
The duo put on 81 for the first wicket in quick time, as they reprised the opening partnership which had flourished last year.
“Whenever you bat with such a batsman you don’t feel pressure,” Mustafa said of his link up with the former England batter.
“If you play some dot balls he will just go for it. We had a few good partnerships at the start of last season as well.
“Whenever I go to strike the ball he says to keep going for the ball and he gives me encouragement. And when he is batting, I don’t need to tell him anything.”
It was a second consecutive last-ball finish for the Vipers. Whereas Shaheen had smuggled them through to a thrilling win by scoring three off the last ball to beat MI Emirates last time out, this time they fell short.
There would have been a super over had Wanindu Hasaranga hit the stumps with his run out attempt off the last ball. But it missed, allowing Jason Holder to complete the single the Capitals needed to win.
“We started the game really well,” said Mustafa, who had got their challenge off to a rapid start with the bat himself.
“There was no plan other than to watch the ball and just go for it. I have really improved because of [Vipers batting coach] Neil McKenzie and how he has been helping me with my batting.
“When I started hitting it was going really well and I was just going with the flow.
“We started well but I think we were too slow from overs eight to 14. But the conditions were not easy and they were bowling really good slower balls.
“We also started well with the ball, but I think we can do much better than this.”