I’m trying to bowl like Afridi: Steve Smith

Former Australian captain Steve Smith has said he is trying to bowl like Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi.

Smith, who began his career as a leg-spinner before he became one of the top batsmen in the world, said his captain Jason Holder had told him he might be called upon to send down a few.

Smith followed up his 63 off 44 balls with 2/19 in three overs in Tridents’ Caribbean Premier League 2018 match at Lauderhill.

Steve Smith performed with the bat & ball today and hence the #Playoftheday from match 14 belongs to him #CPL18 pic.twitter.com/xLIVvQpJ0M

— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 23, 2018

“I've sort of changed a few things up [in my bowling],” he said. “I'm trying to model my action on Shahid Afridi, pushing it through and try to bowl fast into the wicket. Fortunately it worked tonight.

“He [Afridi] has been a terrific leg-spinner. I can't get the momentum into the ball [with my usual action] as I'm growing older. Hopefully I don't have to bowl too much!”

It is worth to mention here that The Russell-led Tallawahs were left to rue a strategy gone wrong. Ross Taylor and David Miller struggled to finish the game, even as the likes of Russell himself were left waiting for a chance to bat. With 11 left to get off the last over, they only got to 154/3 in reply to Barbados Tridents’ 156.

The loss puts Tallawahs third on the points table.