Karachi, 23 February 2023 (GNP): In the T20 World Cup final in 2022, Shaheen Afridi aggravated his knee injury, from which he had recovered just in time before the start of the tournament in Australia.
The incident happened while he was trying to take Harry Brook’s catch in the 13th over at the Melbourne Cricket ground against England.
Pakistan had to defend a target of 138 runs while the 23-year-old bowler only got to bowl 2.1 overs. Until his knee problem worsened, he had already taken one wicket and was maintaining a respectable economy rate.
He left the game around the halfway point, and Pakistan lost by five wickets. To recover fully, he missed several important home series.
Left-arm pacers made his comeback to the game of cricket in 2023 during the Pakistan Super League season 8 and is currently leading his team Lahore Qalandars.
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Now months later, on a chat show on Pakistan’s SUNO TV, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has made a baffling comment on the Shaheen Afridi injury and for not bowling his full quota of overs in T20 World Cup against England.
Shoaib Akhtar claimed that, Shaheen Shah Afridi should have finished his spell despite suffering a knee injury.
“If I was in his place, I would have taken injections and painkillers, to make that leg numb and bowl. This was the moment one could have become a superstar. If I was there, I would have died for my country. I could get my broken knee fixed but can’t bring that moment back,” Shoaib Akhtar said.
Many of Akhtar’s supporters were taken aback by this comment, “What nonsense. Anyways that match was lost. If he would have bowled those 2 overs there could have been an injury which would have hampered his career. Good he missed”, one user tweeted.
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English commentator Alan Wilkins tweeted in support of Shaheen Afridi after comments of Shoaib Akhtar:
It’s an admirable thought but it is also a long time after the event. @iShaheenAfridi couldn’t have bowled on one leg even though he’s got the biggest heart in the team! https://t.co/aTJRmam48q
— Alan Wilkins (@alanwilkins22) February 21, 2023
Shahid Afridi, however, poked fun at Akhtar by saying, “Shoaib Akhtar took so many injections that he can’t walk now. He can do that. Everyone can’t be Shoaib Akhtar. It’s difficult to play with injury if you take injections and pain-killers. Because then, you risk aggravating the injury further. Anyway, let’s leave Shoaib Akhtar alone!”.
Fast bowlers these days experience injuries on constant basis. Playing several series strains their muscles which lead to unfortunate injuries.
