During a recent Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match, Afridi was seen appreciating Nahid’s fiery delivery, even giving him a fist bump and patting his head—a gesture that delighted Bangladeshi cricket fans.

In a post-match press conference, Afridi commended the entire Bangladesh pace attack, mentioning names like Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Hasan Mahmud, and Ebadot Hossain.

“I think Bangladesh has a fantastic pace bowling attack. Nahid bowls at a very good pace, and he needs to maintain this energy, especially for longer formats. Taskin is their leading bowler, and they have others like Tanzim and Hasan Mahmud. Ebadot, unfortunately, is injured but is recovering well,” Afridi said.

Afridi’s debut in the BPL for Fortune Barishal against Durbar Rajshahi didn’t yield immediate success, as he went wicketless in his first two matches.

However, he bounced back in his third game, picking up two crucial wickets against Rajshahi, dismissing Yasir Ali Rabbi and Anamul Haque Bijoy with brilliant deliveries. Afridi finished with figures of 4-0-20-2 in the match.

Despite his modest start, Afridi remains focused on his process rather than results.

“Honestly, I don’t feel any pressure. I don’t dwell on the past or think about the future. I focus on the present. Whether I take wickets or not, what matters is sticking to my process. T20 cricket is unpredictable, with good wickets and small grounds. You have to keep following your process,” he said.