After losing the T20 World Cup 2022 final Pakistan have been dealt with a major blow. Their frontline pacer Shaheen Afridi will be unavailable for selection nearly three months after he got injured while taking a catch at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on November 13.
Afridi aggravated his knee injury that he recovered from last month to participate in the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, as per a report by ESPNCricinfo. The recovery will keep him out of home series against England and New Zealand in the next two months.
Afridi's injury during the final against Jos Buttler-led England meant that he would walk out of the ground with 11 balls still left in his quota of four overs. After the defeat, skipper Babar Azam admitted that losing his services at a crucial stage became one of the factors why they were not able to take the game till the end.
Afridi was likely to be replaced by Haris Rauf in the Test side. Rauf is yet to make his Test debut.
The left-arm pacer had injured his knee in Galle, Sri Lanka earlier this year in July. Even after getting injured he travelled with the squad to Netherlands where the injury was confirmed and his participation in the T20 World Cup was in doubt as well. He underwent treatment for three and a half months to return for the mega event.
The 22-year-old struggled at first remaining wicketless against India and Zimbabwe but returned to form in the must-win clashes. In the final as well, he removed in-form Alex Hales with a booming in-swinger in the first over. He walked off the field dejected in the 16th over after which Pakistan lost the grip on the game.
While Afridi’s return to the T20I squad was a huge boost, former Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt had urged the team management not to rush his comeback.
"Even if it is a partial tear, you should not risk Shaheen. World Cups will come and go. Shaheen is not a player of just one World Cup. He can play the next five as well. True fans of Pakistan cricket will also know that Shaheen should be rested if the injury is career-threatening," Butt had said on his YouTube channel.
