Star Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi would likely miss the upcoming first Test of the three-match series against England, scheduled to begin on December 1 at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, The News reported on Monday.
Afridi’e injury in his right knee re-surfaced during the T20 World Cup final on Sunday after he “landed awkwardly” during the match and couldn’t continue his over.
“The same right knee which troubled him of late hit the ground when he took Brook’s catch. It definitely is a sort of recurrence of the same injury. The seriousness of his injury is yet to be determined. The team management has decided to judge the seriousness of his injury on the team’s return to Pakistan,”a team management official told the publication.
“Now we are on our way to Pakistan and have no time left to form a panel of doctors to look into the seriousness of Shaheen’s injury in Australia. A panel of doctors will look into his status on the team’s return to Pakistan and a further update will be available once they go through all the tests,” he added.
The News learned from sources within the team that Shaheen would be in no position to spearhead Pakistan’s attack at the outset of the three-match Test series.
“I fear that Shaheen could well be seen missing the entire Test series against England. He requires a lengthy rest and treatment to overcome his knee problem once and for all,” a source said.
“So it would be too risky to even think of playing him in the series at all — what to talk about the first Test,” it added.
Meanwhile, When one of the former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) doctors, when contacted, opined that Afridi could miss the entire season.
“If you want a fit and ready Shaheen for the next World Cup (2023, 50-overs aside), you have to give him at least three to four months’ break to make him completely fit injury,” he was quoted as saying by Geo TV.
In the title clash of the T20 World Cup against England, Afridi, 22, dismissed Alex Hales and later helped Shadab Khan get Harry Brook’s wicket and caught the ball right on time, but fell on his right knee.
In the 16th over, Shaheen came in to bowl his first delivery but appeared visibly in pain with very few chances to continue in the game.
The pacer had to walk off the field due to knee discomfort and was replaced by Khushdil Shah in the field while Iftikhar Ahmed finished his over.