In the world of fast bowling, it’s not every day a legend hands you a nickname that sticks. But when Ian Bishop, a former West Indies speedster turned eloquent commentator, calls you “Baby Starc” — that’s not just a compliment, it’s a stamp of elite menace.
During the third Test between Australia and the West Indies, Bishop couldn’t help but gush over Pakistan’s left-arm pace maestro, Shaheen Shah Afridi, likening him to none other than Mitchell Starc — Australia’s long-time stumps assassin.
“Watch and guard your stumps,” Bishop warned viewers while dissecting Afridi’s bowling highlights. “He comes for them like Starc. Baby Starc, we can call him.”
But this wasn’t a throwaway comment. Bishop went on to break down why Shaheen deserves the comparison — highlighting his aggressive, full-length deliveries that tail in late, his knack for dismantling top orders, and that unmistakable Starc-style swagger.
Let’s be real: you don’t get compared to one of the world’s most feared quicks unless you’re doing something right. And Afridi’s numbers speak for themselves. At just 25, the left-armer has already racked up over 345 international wickets across formats, including seven five-fors and a bagful of game-changing spells. Oh, and in 2021? He was crowned the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year.
Bishop didn’t stop at Starc either. He brought out the big names — Glenn McGrath, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, and Josh Hazlewood — suggesting that Shaheen’s discipline, especially when attacking the stumps, is beginning to echo the greats.
For Pakistan fans, this might feel like déjà vu. Afridi has long been hailed as the spearhead of the new-gen bowling lineup, and with endorsements like this, the legend is only growing.
So, next time Afridi comes charging in, just remember — Baby Starc is no baby when it comes to breaking the stumps. And Ian Bishop’s got the receipts.
