Shaheen Afridi heads to London to complete rehabilitation, Pakistan hoping to have pacer fit for T20 World Cup
Shaheen Afridi heads to London to complete rehabilitation, Pakistan hoping to have pacer fit for T20 World Cup: Left-arm bowler Shaheen Afridi was forced to miss the Asia Cup 2022 due to a knee injury, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revealed on Monday, August 29 that he would be traveling to London to finish his rehabilitation from the injury.
Afridi traveled from Dubai, where he was seen spending time with the Pakistan squad in the lead-up to their opening match against India on Sunday, to London. The match will take place in the United Kingdom.
The Pakistani national team has expressed optimism that Shaheen Afridi will be able to participate in the Twenty20 World Cup, which will begin in October in Australia. Nevertheless, the medical staff of the PCB will evaluate his current state of rehabilitation before making a decision regarding his participation in the showcase event.
Due to a knee injury that Shaheen Afridi sustained in July while playing a test match against Sri Lanka in Galle, he will not be able to participate in the Asia Cup. According to sources from the local media, the left-arm bowler was in a race against time to get fit for the Twenty20 World Cup, hence he did not play in the ODI series that was played in the Netherlands.
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“During her time in London, Shaheen will continue to get medical care under the direction of the PCB Medical Advisory Panel, which also includes Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed and Dr. Zafar Iqbal, both of whom practice medicine in London.
Dr. Imtiaz has held the position of Head of Medical Services at the Queen’s Park Rangers Football Club since 2016, and Dr. Zafar has held the position of Head of Sports Medicine at the Crystal Palace Football Club since 2015 (having worked previously for the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, Liverpool Football Club, and Kent County Cricket Club), respectively “PCB stated their position in a statement.
“Shaheen is likely to achieve complete fitness before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022,” the report said, adding that the PCB Medical Advisory Panel will decide whether or not he could return to competitive cricket.
Particularly noteworthy is the fact that Shaheen was there at the ICC Academy to observe Pakistan’s training session in the lead-up to their Asia Cup opener. In Dubai, Shaheen met and greeted a number of Indian players, including Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul. The Indian stars asked the bowler about his injuries while they were there.
Even without Shaheen, Pakistan was able to put the Indian batters through their paces as 19-year-old Naseem Shah, who made his debut on Sunday, and Shahnawaz Dahani made things difficult for India’s top-order hitters. India maintained their composure to successfully chase down a below-par target of 148 with two balls and five wickets left in the game.
Reada More: Shaheen Afridi left for London for rehabilitation