Shaheen Shah Afridi fitness and World Cup key as Pakistan tackle Netherlands

15.08.2022 - 07:59 timesofindia.indiatimes.com

The 22-year-old paceman suffered a knee injury on the recent tour of Sri Lanka, a worrying setback with the Asia Cup -- and a meeting with old rivals India -- coming up at the end of the month.

Pakistan team bosses do not want to overload a fast bowler who has already played 97 times across all three formats since his international debut just four years ago. "We're taking a couple of doctors with us to take care of Shaheen and want him to play a game against Netherlands to see if he's fit and ready for the Asia Cup," said Pakistan skipper Babar Azam. "But we have 11 trump cards.

Each of them can be match winners on their day. I have faith in every one of them, whether batters or bowlers." The series in Rotterdam was postponed due to Covid in 2020.

It forms part of the 13-nation Super League from where the top seven teams plus hosts India will qualify for the 2023 World Cup.

cricket cup as Babar Azam Asia Cup Shaheen Shah Afridi Netherlands Australia South Africa India Sri Lanka Pakistan Rotterdam

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One of Pakistan's biggest concerns going into the 2022 T20 World Cup that begins in October is the fitness of star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi. The left-arm seamer had sustained a knee injury while fielding during the first Test against Sri Lanka in July. The injury ruled him out of the second Test against Sri Lanka and subsequent ODI series in Netherlands as well as the ongoing Asia Cup in the UAE, even though he accompanied the squad to both the Netherlands as well as UAE. On Monday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revealed that Shaheen was going to London to undergo further treatment and rehabilitation, with the hope of getting him fit before the World Cup.

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Pakistan's top pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will undergo treatment of his knee injury in London. He is expected to regain complete fitness before the T20 World Cup starting mid-October, the PCB said on Monday. Shaheen has departed for London where he will undergo rehabilitation of his injury which he sustained while fielding during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in mid-July. The knee injury ruled him out of the second Test against Sri Lanka and subsequent ODI series in Netherlands as well as the ongoing Asia Cup in the UAE.

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Absence of top pacers has become a talking point leading up to today's gameLike it happens before and after India-Pakistan matches these days, one tweet has triggered a major debate. A few hours after Pakistan's ace fast bowler Shaheen Afridi was ruled out of the Asia Cup due to a knee injury, Pakistan pace bowling great Waqar Younis tweeted: "Shaheen's injury big relief for Indian top order batsmen. Sad we won't be seeing him."