Geelong, Dec 15 (NationPress) Shaheen Shah Afridi faced a challenging debut in the Big Bash League as he was removed from the bowling attack for dangerous deliveries during the match between Brisbane Heat and Melbourne Renegades at Simonds Stadium on Tuesday.

In the 18th over of the first innings, the Pakistani pacer’s performance took a turn when he bowled two waist-high full tosses—one to Tim Seifert and another to Ollie Peake. The umpires judged these deliveries as dangerous, resulting in Afridi being taken out of the attack, leaving Heat captain Nathan McSweeney to finish the over.

Afridi could only muster a wry smile as he exited, concluding his debut spell with figures of 0 for 43 from 2.4 overs. This over was particularly costly, yielding 15 runs and featuring three no-balls, in addition to two wides, making for a very tough outing.

The left-arm bowler entered the BBL with high expectations, alongside fellow Pakistan international Mohammad Rizwan, who also made his debut for the Renegades. Afridi initially showed promise, starting his second over with three consecutive dot balls, but struggled to regain control afterward.

After sitting out for a while, he was brought back during the 13th over of the Renegades’ Power Surge, only to give away 19 runs. His final over added to the woes, marking a rocky beginning to his league career, as he ended with a poor economy rate of 16.10.

The Melbourne Renegades took full advantage of the Heat’s bowling missteps, posting a significant total of 212 for 5. Tim Seifert led the innings, scoring a commanding 102 off 56 balls, while Ollie Peake contributed a brisk 57 off 29 balls. Rizwan, however, struggled to make an impact, scoring only four runs from ten balls before being dismissed by left-arm spinner Paddy Dooley.

Despite the rough start, Afridi’s debut serves as a reminder of the unforgiving nature of the BBL, where even top international talent is put to the test quickly.