LONDON: Flawless bowling from former Pakistan T20 captain Shahid Afridi allowed Hampshire to overpower Kent in NatWest T20 Blast match on Thursday.

With figures of 3 for 33 in four overs, Afridi was declared man of the match in Hampshire’s nine-run victory on Thursday.

The 36-year-old also scored a quick 21 off 14 deliveries in the first innings of the game, giving a boost to his side’s total on the board.

Defending a target of 159, Hampshire chances of winning were slim when Afridi bowled his first over of the match and was hit for 15 runs. However, in subsequent overs, the former Pakistan captain got crucial wickets of Kent skipper Sam Northeast, opening batsman Daniel Bell-Drummond, and all-rounder Matt Coles to hand Hampshire the match.

Previously in the tournament, Afridi claimed two wickets in the match against Middlesex, however, his side lost the game by 69 runs.

NatWest T20 Blast, which began on May 20, is a three-month long tournament and will conclude on August 20, with the final being played at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham, England.