Shaheen doubtful for England Test series

ISLAMABAD: Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi whose right knee injury re-emerged during the T20 World Cup final on Sunday may not be able to play the opening Test of the three-match series against England starting at the Pindi Stadium from December 1.

“The same right knee which troubled him of late hit the ground when he took Brook’s catch,” a team management official said. “It definitely is a sort of recurrence of the same injury. The seriousness of his injury is yet to be determined. The team management has decided to judge the seriousness of his injury on the team’s return to Pakistan. Now we are on our way to Pakistan and have no time left to form a panel of doctors to look into the seriousness of Shaheen’s injury in Australia. A panel of doctors will look into his status on the team’s return to Pakistan and a further update will be available once they go through all the tests,” he added.

'The News', however, learned from sources within the team that Shaheen would be in no position to spearhead Pakistan's attack at the outset of the three-match Test series. “I fear that Shaheen could well be seen missing the entire Test series against England. He requires a lengthy rest and treatment to overcome his knee problem once and for all,” a source said. “So it would be too risky to even think of playing him in the series at all -- what to talk about the first Test,” he said.

In all probability, Pakistan will go into the Test series against England with a changed attack. When contacted, one of the former PCB doctors opined that Shaheen could miss the entire season. “If you want a fit and ready Shaheen for the next World Cup (2023, 50-overs aside), you have to give him at least three to four months' break to make him completely fit injury,” he said.