Shaheen Shah Afridi ruled out of Asia Cup 2022

Shaheen Shah Afridi in action for Pakistan

The architect of Pakistan’s emphatic victory over India at the 2021 T20 World Cup, Shaheen Shah Afridi, has been ruled out of the upcoming Asia Cup 2022 competition.  Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had included the mercurial pacer in their expanded squadron for the tournament.

Huge blow for Pakistan ahead of Asia Cup 2022

The cricketer sustained a right knee ligament injury during his country's Test tour to Sri Lanka last month. The injury prompted him to sit out of the second Test, which saw his side go down to the hosts by 246 runs, thus squandering their 1-0 lead in the two-match series. He also skipped his team's subsequent flight to Netherlands for a short ODI series.

As per the recent updates, Afridi has been advised to rest for six to eight weeks. His prolonged break from competitive cricket also means that he will be missing out on Pakistan's home T20I series against England in September.

PCB Chief Medical Officer, Dr Najeebullah Soomro, said:

“I have spoken with Shaheen and he is understandably upset with the news, but he is brave young man who has vowed to come back strongly to serve his country and team. Although he has made progress during his rehabilitation in Rotterdam, it is now clear he will require more time and is likely to return to competitive cricket in October.”

Pakistan in Asia Cup 2022

Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2022 campaign will kick-off with a high-profile clash against arch-rivals India. The match is scheduled to take place at the Dubai International Stadium on August 28.

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