Fresh knee injury
PCB says his “return to international cricket will be subject to successful completion of rehabilitation programme”
Islamabad
Pakistan are facing the prospect of another significant length of time without Shaheen Shah Afridi after he hurt* his right knee again in the men’s T20 World Cup final on Sunday in Melbourne.
He has been advised two weeks of rehabilitation after a scan on Monday morning confirmed there were no signs of an injury and the knee discomfort was likely “due to a forced knee flexion whilst landing”. However, it appears unlikely that Afridi will be available for the home Tests against England and New Zealand through December-January; the PCB said his “return to international cricket will be subject to the champion fast bowler’s successful completion of the rehabilitation programme and following go-aheads by the medical staff.”
Afridi was, in any case, expected to sit out the England Test series, which starts from December 1 in Rawalpindi. That was part of a planned gradual return to the longer format from the original knee injury – which had kept him for three-and-a-half months – that he had also picked up while fielding during a Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in July.
He returned in time for the World Cup, and started Pakistan’s campaign at the marquee tournament slowly, feeling his way back into rhythm. By the time of the final, he appeared to be back to his best, reflected in returns of 4 for 22 against Bangladesh, 3 for 14 against South Africa, 3 and 24 in the semi-final against New Zealand, and 1 for 13 in the final against England until the injury. With 11 wickets, he was Pakistan’s joint-highest wicket-taker in the competition.
