Pakistan left-arm quick Shaheen Afridi understands he isn’t playing the ongoing T20 World Cup in full match fitness, recognising it as a gradual process after overcoming a sustained rehab for a knee injury from July. The 22-year-old hasn’t been at his best in his team’s three Super 12s encounters so far.
After only a couple of brief spells under his belt during the warm-up games, Afridi straightaway entered the high-pressure India game at MCG and looked evidently undercooked through a wicketless outing for 34 runs. In the following games against Zimbabwe and Netherlands, he recorded figures of 0/29 and 1/19, respectively.
In the match versus Zimbabwe, Afridi, when he tried to come back for a hopeless two with the equation coming down to 3 off 1, seemed to be hobbling through the pitch as he unsuccessfully attempted to make the other end.
That further strengthened a question mark brewing on his fitness in this tournament, with prominent names in Pakistan asking whether the team management and selectors rushed their premier fast-bowler from a knee issue that sidelined him for the best part of three months.
Afridi, however, brushed aside those suggestions by putting his indifferent start to the competition on lack of game time in the middle ahead of the T20 World Cup. The young seamer picked up the injury during July’s Test series in Sri Lanka and, from there, missed the trip to Netherlands and New Zealand, either side of a home series versus England and the Asia Cup 2022.
“It is not easy to come back from such an injury after three months. May god never put anyone through this injury but those who pick up this injury obviously know how difficult it is. I am trying to give my 100%,”
he was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
“I think my pace was similar earlier too. The average pace was around 135-140 kph; I am trying to get back to full fitness. Match fitness is different. When you come back after three months, it is difficult to put in full effort [immediately].”
Afridi’s words and understanding of his fitness status hold weight as after enduring two wicketless matches versus India and Zimbabwe in Pakistan’s potentially irrevocable losses, he looked in much better rhythm in the win over the Netherlands.
The pacer gave Pakistan the early breakthrough, which he has come to be known for providing to Babar Azam & company, setting the tone for the rest of the fixture.
“I was alone [in England where he did the rehab], I struggled for two-three months,” Afridi said. “I have never had such a long injury layoff. Of course your friends and team-mates back you and appreciate you. My target was to play the World Cup, and thanks to god I could.”
“For the first two months I didn’t even walk properly because the swelling would increase. I just went to the gym then. In the last two weeks I bowled in the indoors so that I am somewhat prepared to run on these surfaces. The summer was over so there were no outdoor pitches available so I could only bowl indoors,”
he added.
Pakistan would be pleased with the way Afridi held up against the Dutch before they approach a set of do-or-die games versus South Africa and Bangladesh. Lose even one of those, and the 2009 champions will be heading home early. Win both, and there may be a chance for them to make the semis on NRR, depending on how other results go.
Pakistan take on South Africa on Thursday (November 3) in Sydney before facing Bangladesh in Adelaide on Sunday (November 6).
