Not Virat Kohli, Shaheen Afridi Names Hashim Amla As The Toughest Batter He Has Faced

Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi, known for his pace and swing, recently revealed the toughest batsman he has ever faced in international cricket. Surprisingly, Afridi did not pick India’s Virat Kohli, who has been a formidable opponent and one of the best batsmen globally, but instead named retired South African batting legend Hashim Amla as the absolute toughest.

Afridi shared these thoughts during a recent podcast. He explained that he has played several Test matches and One Day Internationals (ODIs) against Hashim Amla and found him to be a highly skilled and tough opponent. Afridi also mentioned that he faced Amla in the Vitality Blast T20 tournament in England, where Amla’s batting excellence again impressed him.

While acknowledging Virat Kohli as a different kind of player, Afridi was clear that Amla was, in his opinion, tougher to bowl to. He said, “Virat Kohli is a different player, but Hashim bhai [brother] is the toughest. Absolute toughest.” This reflects deep respect for Amla’s technique, temperament, and ability to frustrate bowlers even at the highest level.

Afridi recently achieved a significant milestone, becoming Pakistan’s highest wicket-taker after 65 ODI matches with 131 wickets, surpassing Rashid Khan’s 128. He remains a key player for Pakistan heading into the Asia Cup 2025.

Pakistan At Asia Cup 2025

Pakistan head into the tournament under a fresh leadership group and a youthful core. Salman Ali Agha captains a 17-member squad that blends hitters like Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub with a strong pace unit led by Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. Senior all‑rounders Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf add balance, while young batters such as Sahibzada Farhan and Hasan Nawaz deepen the top order. Notably, long‑time stars Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are not part of this T20 squad cycle, signalling a new phase built around flexibility and power.

Pakistan Squad

Pakistan has named Salman Ali Agha (captain) to lead a 17-man group featuring
Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem , Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Hasan Nawaz, Khushdil Shah and Hussain Talat,Mohammad Haris is the designated wicketkeeper.

Pakistan Schedule (Asia Cup 2025)