Former West Indies pacer and respected commentator Ian Bishop has praised Pakistan&rsquo;s fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, calling him a younger version of Australia&rsquo;s left-arm speedster Mitchell Starc.

Speaking on a recent cricket podcast, Bishop compared Afridi&rsquo;s bowling style to Starc&rsquo;s, especially in the way he swings the new ball and attacks the stumps. &ldquo;Shaheen reminds me of a young Mitchell Starc,&rdquo; Bishop said. &ldquo;That full, fast, swinging delivery&mdash;it&rsquo;s deadly. I call him &lsquo;Baby Starc&rsquo; in the commentary box.&rdquo;

Afridi has been a standout performer for Pakistan across formats in recent years. Known for his ability to strike early in T20s and Tests, the 24-year-old has grown into one of the most feared left-arm bowlers in world cricket. His recent performances in the Zimbabwe Tri-Nation Series and against Ireland earlier this year have further boosted his reputation.

Bishop also praised Afridi&rsquo;s growth and maturity as a bowler. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s not just relying on raw pace anymore. He&rsquo;s learning how to read batters and bowl with plans. That&rsquo;s what makes him special,&rdquo; Bishop added.

The nickname &lsquo;<a href="https://a-sports.tv/ian-bishop-praises-shaheen-afridi-calls-him-baby-starc">Baby Starc</a>&rsquo; has already caught on with fans, especially on social media, where clips comparing Afridi and Starc&rsquo;s yorkers have gone viral. While some fans joked that Afridi already has a better record in Asia than Starc, others welcomed the comparison, saying it proves how far the Pakistani pacer has come.

Shaheen, who recently took over leadership duties in Pakistan&rsquo;s bowling group, thanked Bishop in a short social media post, saying: &ldquo;Honoured to be mentioned by a legend. Still learning and improving every day.&rdquo;

With Pakistan set to face West Indies and then enter the Champions Trophy build-up later this year, Afridi will remain a central figure in their bowling attack&mdash;and perhaps now, a &ldquo;Baby Starc&rdquo; with a legacy of his own to create.

Former West Indies pacer and respected commentator Ian Bishop has praised Pakistan’s fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi

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