KENT have signed Pakistan’s live-wire pinch-hitter Shahid Afridi in time to boost their Twenty20 Cup campaign starting in Maidstone on Friday.

Though just 24, the right-hander from Kohat near Karachi, is a veteran of 179 one-day internationals and 14 Tests and, whilst currently out of favour internationally, his addition to Spitfires’ squad could not be more opportune.

He will line up alongside the equally explosive Andrew Symonds to form a combative top four that seems certain to improve Kent’s chances of cup glory.

A leg-spinner and no-nonsense batsman, Afridi had mixed fortunes in county cricket during brief stints with Leicestershire (2001) and Derbyshire (2003).

He joins Kent on a four-match deal as locum for Kiwi Ian Butler, who will replace Afridi’s countryman Mohammad Sami, once New Zealand’s participation in the NatWest Series against England and the West Indies ends.

At the age of 17 Afridi wrote his name into the record books with a world record 37-ball century in Nairobi for Pakistan against Sri Lanka including 11 sixes on his one-day international debut in 1997.

But flattery to deceive coupled with a Test batting average of 32 (or 23 in one-day internationals) has ultimately cost him his place in a Pakistan squad now being coached by former Kent favourite Bob Woolmer.

Afridi has been playing in the county town for all-star club side Lashings, but Kent experienced a small taste of his batting prowess in July 2001 when Afridi hammered 42 in a frantic 22-ball championship innings whilst playing for Leicestershire.

Then, in that summer’s corresponding National League game at Grace Road, Afridi hammered 70 in 32 balls with five sixes and six fours to inspire a Foxes win.

It will be the job of the Middlesex bowling attack to first try and contain Afridi this week during Kent’s opening Twenty20 Cup clash of summer in Maidstone.