Afridi Removed for Beamers in BBL Debut as Heat Lose by 14 Runs

Pakistan's star fast bowler Shaheen Afridi endured a challenging debut in the Big Bash League on Monday, December 15, 2025, when he was removed from the attack for dangerous bowling during Brisbane Heat's match against Melbourne Renegades at Simonds Stadium in Geelong, Australia. The Heat, who chose to field first, ultimately fell short by 14 runs in their chase of 213, finishing at 198 for eight.

Afridi, a 25-year-old left-arm pacer with an extensive T20 record of 334 wickets in 239 matches, opened the bowling for the Heat amid high expectations following his recent return from a foot injury. He had last played competitively in a T20I tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, where he took figures of 3-18 in the final against Sri Lanka. However, his entry into the BBL proved difficult from the outset. In his first over, Afridi conceded nine runs, including a wide, and he struggled with consistency, delivering three dot balls in his second over before losing rhythm.

The Heat brought Afridi back during the 13th over as the Renegades took their power surge, but he was hit for 19 runs, including two fours and a six. The turning point came in the 18th over, when Afridi bowled two...