Pakistan big hitter Shahid Afridi could be missing this month end’s charity match between the Windies and an ICC World XI at Lords. The star all-rounder believes he is unlikely to recover in time from a knee injury suffered in the Pakistan Super League T20 competition in March.
On March 2, Afridi was ruled out for 10 days after a medical checkup revealed swelling in his knee. As the tournament progressed, the injury worsened causing the former Pakistan captain to miss the second round of matches.
On Thursday, Afridi shed light on the status of the knee on his Twitter account that suggests that he might not be fit in time to play against in the match set to raise funds to repair cricket facilities damaged during the passage of hurricanes through the Caribbean last year.
“Went to see my doctor in Dubai, knee hasn’t recovered fully yet. I’ll need another 3-4 weeks. Hoping to regain full fitness after that, keep praying for me.”
Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Dave Cameron said he was unaware of the situation but while describing it as unfortunate, said he is sure the organizers will be able to find a suitable replacement for the mercurial player.
He wished Afridi a speedy recovery and hoped that with two just about two weeks to go, that he will still be able to recover in time.
If he fails to recover in time, Afridi will be the second player from the ICC World XI team to miss the charity match.
Shakib al Hasan withdrew for personal reasons but 17-year-old Nepalese wrist spinner Sandeep Lamichhane has been recruited to the squad. (SportsMax)
