Shaheen Afridi rues getting injured at a wrong time during last year's T20 World Cup final against England

Pakistan ace seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi rues getting injured at the wrong time during last year’s T20 World Cup final against England at the MCG, which saw him getting ruled out for a few months. After picking up Harry Brook’s catch at the boundary in the 13th over, Afridi injured his already-suffering knee, and things got worse when he returned to bowling during the 16th over, only to leave the field, and Pakistan’s hope of lifting the World Cup, midway.

The left-arm pacer, regarded as the future captain, in a chat with ESPNCricinfo, talked about his stretched knee injury and how coming out of it made him feel like.

Firstly, he expressed his disappointment over being at the receiving end on two straight occasions, during the 2021 edition – when Matthew Wade smashed him for three sixes to win the semis game for Australia, and then following year in Down Under, when Afridi got injured at a time when his team needed him the most.

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Afridi said had he remained fit and could finish his quota of four overs, who knows, Pakistan could be the one lifting the trophy.

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"Obviously, it's every player's dream to win a World Cup for his country, and I still remember 2021, how that ended. And in this tournament [2022], if I didn't get injured at such a crucial moment, maybe we could've won. Maybe if I had stayed fit and bowled. Injuries can happen at any time," Afridi told ESPNCricinfo.

Shaheen, who suffered a knee injury in July during the Sri Lanka series last year, remained away from the game for three months before rushing himself into getting fit for the T20 World Cup. Things didn’t work out there much, as following the final’s incident, he again missed the huge chunk of home season – including Test series against Pakistan and the New Zealand ODIs and T20Is.

Since PSL (this year)I am feeling better: Afridi

Though he returned during PSL this season, helping his team win the title for the second straight time, Afridi revealed his knee is now 100% fine and that, with time, he will also get better.

"[I was injured] two months out before the [T20] World Cup, two-three months after the [T20] World Cup also. So it will of course take time to get back. That match energy or fitness, you only get it from playing matches. Since the PSL I've been feeling better, I got better through it and then played internationals for Pakistan as well. With time I'll improve and the more I play the more I'll improve," Shaheen added.

Afridi currently played in the second leg of New Zealand’s white-ball series at home, returning with 14 wickets across T20Is and ODIs.

Given Pakistan is set to compete in two multi-team tournaments this year, including Asia Cup and the Men’s 50-over World Cup, it is important that Afridi remains fit and is managed well by the team management.

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