Shaheen Afridi’s T20 World Cup plans on track; resumes batting, set to bowl soon: ‘Injury not serious’
Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi offered an encouraging update on his recovery, easing concerns around his fitness.
Pakistan received a timely boost ahead of the T20 World Cup after encouraging news emerged from Shaheen Shah Afridi’s injury rehabilitation. The left-arm pacer is now expected to be in contention for the ICC showpiece, with his recovery timeline brought forward. Recent MRI scans have reportedly shown positive progress, easing concerns within the team camp. The left-arm paceman sustained a knee injury while fielding for Brisbane Heat during his maiden Big Bash League (BBL) stint.
Shaheen left the BBL midway and returned to Pakistan for treatment and rehabilitation at the High Performance Centre in Lahore
The Pakistan paceman himself offered an encouraging update on his recovery, easing concerns around his fitness. Speaking about his rehabilitation process, the left-arm bowler shared details of his current workload, medical assessments, and the expected timeline for his return, suggesting the injury is far less severe than initially feared.
“My rehabilitation is ongoing and the PCB team is monitoring everything,” Afridi said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo. “Right now, I’m focusing on gym sessions and batting. I’ll begin bowling next week. This injury is not as serious as the previous ones. There is only slight swelling on the bone and the MRI results were reassuring. I don’t think it will take a month, it should be closer to a week.”
Afridi’s fitness issues have once again drawn attention to a career that has already seen its share of setbacks. The left-arm fast bowler spent a lengthy period away from the game in 2021–22 after undergoing knee surgery, following an injury sustained while fielding during a Test match in Sri Lanka. That phase marked a difficult chapter, with his return carefully managed by the Pakistan team.
Shaheen Shah Afridi struggles in BBL
Recently, his outing in the Big Bash League was far from smooth. Representing Brisbane Heat, Shaheen played four matches and picked up just two wickets, with runs flowing freely at an average of 76.50. His struggles were evident in his first appearance, where he was taken out of the attack after delivering two full tosses. Notably, even before his latest injury, Shaheen had not been named in Pakistan’s squad for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka scheduled between January 7 and 11.
