"Better to give him a little more time" - Shahid Afridi gives Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi's injury update

Pakistan's interim chairman of selectors Shahid Afridi believes star pacer Shaheen Afridi will require some more time to make a return to competitive cricket.

The left-arm speedster has been struggling with injury woes for quite some time now. He missed the Asia Cup 2022 and was rushed back into action during the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, which aggravated his injury.

Shaheen suffered a knee injury in the final against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground after landing awkwardly while taking Harry Brook’s catch. The pacer returned to bowl the 16th over of the match but the unbearable pain forced him to leave after the first delivery.

Since then, he has been undergoing rehabilitation and has not played any competitive cricket. While there is a buzz around Shaheen's participation in the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL), Shahid Afridi reckons that the pacer will need some more time to get match ready.

"He got enough rest and underwent rehab strongly. Knee injury is a challenging phase," Afridi said while speaking on Samaa TV. "You need 2-3 months to undergo the recovery process. Our bowling is strong, so when Shaheen gets back, our composition will get strengthened.

"Doctors said that he is fit but better to give him a little more time, especially while diving. He will make a comeback soon."

PSL 2023 will commence in February and will be played at four venues - Lahore, Karachi, Multan, and Rawalpindi.

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"It was a tough time to sit out" - Shaheen Afridi

Shaheen Afridi, who last played an international game in November 2022, stated that the rehabilitation process is going well and reckoned that it was tough to watch the game from the sidelines.

"The process is going well," Shaheen said. "The medical panel was good. I am feeling much better and 100 percent fit. It was a tough time to sit out."

The Pakistan think tank will hope Shaheen recovers fully, with the ODI World Cup 2023 scheduled to take place later this year in India.

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