Shaheen Afridi picks up four wickets in opening over in T20 Blast

Left-arm quick rocks Birmingham top order but still ends up on losing side

Shaheen Afridi of Nottingham Outlaws celebrates with teammate Olly Stone after the wicket of Dan Mousley of Birmingham Bears during their T20 Blast match at Trent Bridge. Getty

Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi proved once again he is the most devastating new ball bowler in white-ball cricket as he picked up four wickets in the first over of a T20 Blast match.

The left-arm pacer, playing for Nottingham Outlaws, destroyed Birmingham Bears' top order as he snared four wickets in a devastating first over of the chase.

Afridi accounted for the scalps of captain Alex Davies, Chris Benjamin, Dan Mousley and Ed Barnard as Birmingham were reduced to 7-4 in the opening over chasing 169 on a damp Trent Bridge pitch.

However, opener Rob Yates put together a calm 65, with Jacob Bethell and Jake Lintott both making 27, as the Bears battled their way to a two-wicket win and secured a spot in the Vitality Blast quarter-final.

After the match, which was affected by rain, Afridi said he was pleased with his bowling but would have preferred a victory.

"The first over was very good. First time I have ever taken four wickets in the first over. Good, but would have been better if we had won," Afridi said.

"The crowd support was very good. I felt like I was bowling in Pakistan. My teammates are like family."

Earlier, Tom Moores hit a swift 73 but the Outlaws looked to be under par after being bowled out for 168 in their 20 overs.

The Outlaws now need to beat Leicestershire Foxes at Trent Bridge in their final game to join the Bears in the last eight.

Afridi is now back bowling at full tilt, having fully recovered from a knee injury. The 23-year-old injured his knee in Sri Lanka last July and missed Pakistan's home Test series against Australia, England and New Zealand.

Afridi featured in the T20 World Cup in Australia last year, but injured the same knee in the final as England held their nerves to lift the trophy.

He is back to full fitness, however, and played in the Pakistan Super League as well as featuring in the T20I and ODI series against New Zealand earlier this year.

Afridi has been named in Pakistan's 16-man squad to play two Tests in Sri Lanka this month - his first outing in the long form of the game in a year.