Pakistan paceman Shaheen Afridi has bowled against many of the best batters of his generation, but in naming the most challenging, he did not take long to name South Africa great Hashim Amla. Appearing on the podcast Bricks to Riches, Shaheen reminisced about his battles with Hashim Amla in Tests, ODIs, and even in England's Vitality Blast. With his pace and swing, Shaheen was unable to bother the South African legend, particularly in red-ball cricket. In Tests, Amla made 31 runs against him without getting dismissed. In ODIs, Afridi managed a bit better, sending him back twice while leaking 40 runs. Amla, who retired in 2019, stands out as one of the greatest of his time. He finished his career with 18,672 runs across all formats, with 55 centuries and 80 half-centuries. His serene demeanor, granite-like technique, and consistency made him one of the most difficult batters to face. Also Read | Virat Kohli Clears Yo-Yo Test in London, Sets New Personal Best Shaheen Afridi on Amla vs Kohli Shaheen was also questioned about his infamous rivalry with the Indian star Virat Kohli, particularly his best years. Most expected him to select the Indian star, but Shaheen was categorical in stating that Amla was the toughest batter he ever bowled against. Afridi said: "Hashim Amla, I’ve played test matches and ODIs against him, and he’s a tough competitor. I have also played a match against him in the Vitality Blast— a Twenty20 cricket tournament in England. I felt that he’s a very good batsman, and he is very good at what he does." When asked whether Amla was more difficult than Kohli, Afridi said: "Virat Kohli is a different player, but Hashim bhai [brother], he’s the toughest. Absolute toughest." However, Afridi is now again in Pakistan's T20I side for the Asia Cup 2025, where Pakistan are placed along with India, UAE, and Oman. Even after his comeback, Pakistan's performance has been unstable as they lost to Bangladesh and Afghanistan and had a close escape against UAE.