playing tapeball cricket in
Lahore, in 2019 In March 2018, he was named in Pakistan's
Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for their series
against the West Indies. He made his T20I debut for Pakistan against the
West Indies on 3 April 2018. In September 2018, he was named in Pakistan's
One Day International (ODI) squad for the
2018 Asia Cup. He made his ODI debut for Pakistan against
Afghanistan on 21 September 2018. His rapid rise to international cricket was noted, as despite having played only three first-class matches, he was already being discussed as a strong candidate for Test selection. His early career trajectory was also compared to that of
Wasim Akram, observing that while both debuted with limited domestic experience, Afridi was being introduced to the highest level far more gradually and systematically, with his pace, height, left-arm angle, and control as defining attributes. In November 2018, he was named in Pakistan's
Test squad for their series
against New Zealand. He made his Test debut for Pakistan against
New Zealand on 3 December 2018. In April 2019, he was named in
Pakistan's squad for the
2019 Cricket World Cup. On 5 July 2019, in the match against
Bangladesh, Shaheen became the youngest bowler to take a
five-wicket haul in a World Cup match, finishing with figures of 6/35. These were also the best bowling figures by a bowler for Pakistan in a World Cup match. Following the
World Cup, the
International Cricket Council (ICC) named Afridi as the rising star of the squad. In December 2019, during the second Test match
against Sri Lanka, Afridi took his first
five-wicket haul in Test cricket. In June 2020, he was named in a 29-man squad for Pakistan's
tour to England during the
COVID-19 pandemic. In July, he was shortlisted in Pakistan's 20-man squad for the Test matches against England. In September 2021, he was named in Pakistan's squad for the
2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. In August 2021, during the second Test of the
tour of West Indies, Afridi was declared
Player of the Match as he took 10 for 94, the best match figures by a Pakistan fast bowler since
Mohammad Asif in 2006, and only the fourth instance of a Pakistan quick taking ten wickets in a Test in the 21st century. Observers highlighted Afridi’s sustained pace, reverse swing, and ability to strike with both the new and old ball, noting that his efforts helped Pakistan level the series and extend their record of not losing a multi-match bilateral Test series to the West Indies since 2000. In December 2021, Afridi entered the top five of the ICC Test bowling rankings for the first time in his career. It was noted that Afridi’s ascent reflected both his wicket-taking consistency and his impact as Pakistan’s premier strike bowler, making him the youngest fast bowler in the world at that time to occupy a top-five position in the Test rankings. In January 2022, Afridi was named the Cricketer of the Year by the
International Cricket Council. He took 78 wickets in 36 international matches in 2021. In October 2023, he took a 5 wicket haul against Australia in the 2023 Cricket World Cup match. He finished the
2023 Cricket World Cup with the sixth most wickets, taking 18 wickets in 9 matches. On 31 October, he became the fastest Pakistani bowler to get 100 wickets in ODIs, as well as the fastest pacer to do so. He achieved the feat in 51 matches, overtaking
Saqlain Mushtaq, who took 53 matches to complete 100 wickets. In November 2023, Afridi rose to the top of the ICC ODI bowling rankings for the first time in his career. Afridi climbed seven places after a strong start to the 2023 ODI World Cup, where a series of impactful new-ball and middle-overs spells significantly boosted his ranking. His ascent made him the first Pakistan fast bowler since the 1990s to reach No. 1 in ODIs. On 15 November 2023, Afridi was appointed as T20I captain after
Babar Azam resigned from captaincy in all three formats of the game. In May 2024, he was named in Pakistan's squad for the
2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament. In December 2024, he completed 100 T20Is wickets against South Africa, becoming only the third Pakistani to reach the mark, Additionally, he was the first Pakistani to reach 100 wickets in all three formats of international cricket, and the youngest bowler to do so. Afridi also became the youngest ever to achieve 100 wickets in all-format of cricket history. In November 2024, Afridi returned to the top of the ICC ODI bowling rankings, reclaiming the No. 1 position. The update followed a series of strong white-ball performances that lifted him back above his competitors in the global standings. During the
2025 Asia Cup, Afridi took 10 wickets in seven matches, finishing as one of Pakistan's leading bowlers in the competition. In a Super Four match against
Bangladesh, he recorded figures of 3 for 17 and added useful 29 runs, helping Pakistan recover from a top-order collapse. His contributions with both ball and bat were noted as adding depth to the team’s overall performance. In October 2025, during the first Test of the
home series against South Africa, which Pakistan won by 93 runs, Afridi was decisive with the old ball, exploiting reverse swing to claim four wickets in the final innings, a haul greater than all Pakistani pace bowlers had managed collectively across the previous four home Tests. On 20 October 2025, Afridi was appointed as ODI captain of Pakistan team. In the third and last T20I of the home series against South Africa, which Pakistan won, Afridi was noted for his new ball spell, taking 3/26, including two wickets in the first over, reducing South Africa to 22 in the powerplay, their third-lowest in T20I history. As captain, Afridi led Pakistan to a landmark victory in the ODI series, becoming the first Pakistan skipper to win an ODI series at home against the Proteas. He chose to field first in the decider, and his strategic decisions and leadership under pressure were pivotal in the triumph. ==Awards and recognition==