PCB hopeful of Shaheen Afridi playing ICC T20 World Cup 2022 opener against India

Shaheen Shah Afridi is currently in London nursing an injury (PC: Twitter)

Shaheen Shah Afridi's injury has been a bone of contention for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ever since it ruled out speedster Pakistan's campaign in the Asia Cup 2022 and their upcoming T20I series against England at home.

Afridi injured himself while fielding during the Galle Test against Sri Lanka in July. The left-arm bowler, however, travelled with the Pakistan side to the Netherlands and UAE, but on the advice of PCB's chief medical officer, Najeebullah Soomro, was sent to London for “uninterrupted, dedicated knee specialist care”.

Shaheen is Pakistan's key bowler

Despite the gravity of the injury, PCB CEO Faisal Hasnain during a media interaction maintained that the board expects Afridi to be fit for Pakistan's ICC T20 World Cup encounter against India in October.

“The PCB medical team has been receiving daily reports over the knee injury status of Shaheen and we expect the bowler will be there with the national team to play against India on October 23 in the World Cup match,” 

“We are receiving good reports from London on Shaheen’s recovery and the decision to keep the bowler with the national team was taken because our best medical experts were travelling with the team so he (Shaheen) could get every possible help on time. Shaheen is our national asset and one of the top world class bowlers.”- Hasnain told Dawn News

In his short four-year career,  the 22-year-old has become one of the most feared new-ball bowler in world cricket. He has played 25 Tests, 32 ODIs and 40 T20Is for his nation.

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