Sahibzada Farhan hailed Ahmed Shehzad as his favourite and long-time inspiration after smashing a historic century in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The opening batter displayed a record-setting knock that placed him among Pakistan’s elite in the tournament’s history.
Farhan became only the second Pakistani batter to score a hundred in men’s T20 World Cups, joining former top-order batter Shehzad, who struck a ton in the 2014 edition against Bangladesh.
When asked about his batting idol, Farhan openly named Ahmed Shehzad as his inspiration.
“Ahmed Shehzad is my favourite, the one I follow,” he said, adding that he grew up watching Shehzad and often seeks his guidance in domestic cricket, adding that he was simply being honest when answering the question.
He made the remarks while receiving the Player of the Match award from Pakistan’s former legendary pacer Wasim Akram following the emphatic victory of the Green Shirts against Namibia.
Shehzad applauded compatriot Sahibzada Farhan for equalling his 12-year-old T20 World Cup century record, praising the right-handed opener on X for proving his class on the global stage.
Recalling his own Bangladesh hundred, Shehzad said Farhan’s nerveless single on 99 felt nostalgic.
Farhan replied that Shehzad’s unwavering support strengthened him, calling the milestone a shared achievement and just the beginning.
“I wanted this 100 to come in 2025 itself so it could become a world record. But that didn’t happen. But thankfully, it happened in international cricket,” he said.
