How Shaheen Afridi’s Knee Recovery Could Reshape Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Plans

There is something quietly symbolic in that it has been less than six weeks since Shaheen Afridi last prepared to take the ball as he prepares to do so for another T20 World Cup. The left arm of Shaheen is more than just a bowling option; It is the strategic axis of Pakistan. As long as Shaheen is healthy, Pakistan appears to be a team with an identity menace with the new ball, authority with the old ball at the end of the innings, and emotional temperament, all rolled up in one 6-foot-6-inch fast bowler.

Following an injury to his right knee while playing for the Brisbane Heat, which forced him to return to Pakistan, there were early warnings that it may have been déjà vu. The memories of 2022 are still quite fresh when he suffered a similar injury that reduced his availability to play for Pakistan and hindered them in their World Cup final. But unlike last year’s experience, the medical picture seems to be much better. Afridi has reported that the swelling is relatively minor. He also stated that he believes that he will be able to start bowling again next week. This is medical news that could potentially provide Pakistan with a competitive advantage as they prepare to participate in the upcoming World Cup in Sri Lanka.

A Familiar Knee, A Different Narrative

Pakistan’s tournament successes in the last few years have been shaped by Afridi’s injuries; in 2022, a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury kept him out of action for almost six months, limiting his return to cricket for the T20 World Cup. He was able to return for the last match, but in that same game, the injury affected his ability to bowl the final overs, and ultimately, England claimed the championship.

But this time around, there is an unmistakable softening of the diagnosis of bone swelling as opposed to structural damage. This rehabilitation has been proactive, guided, and controlled by the PCB, and, importantly for a player who needs time off to heal, very brief. Afridi has estimated that “it was probably no longer than one week” when compared to one month. This shift in moving from long-term repair to a short-term fix implies that at last, Pakistan is treating its workload for a bowler’s career and not just for the next tournament.

When BBL Numbers Don’t Tell the Full Story

While Afridi’s Big Bash league output looked disappointing (four games; 2 wickets; 11.19) – he was even removed from the bowling lineup early in his first match after giving up two ‘dangerous’ full tosses – it is important to keep things into perspective: Afridi wasn’t bowling at 100% – and the pitches were new to him; he also tended to prioritize establishing rhythm – rather than results.

That being said, compared to what we’ve seen internationally of Afridi, he has performed exceptionally well. Last year, he ended as the third-highest wicket taker in T20 cricket for Pakistan – behind only Mohammad Nawaz and Abrar Ahmed. To put this simply, his fundamental skills remain. What we saw in the BBL was not a decline; it was limitations.

Why Pakistan’s Attack Is Structurally Built Around Him

Pakistan does have other options in terms of fast bowlers; Haris Rauf is an example of this, who has thrived in Australia; Shadab Khan is another example offering wicket-taking potential in the middle overs. However, no one can offer or provide, with the new ball and in the final over of an innings, what Afridi does. It is his ability to swing the ball from very early in the innings and then be able to close out the innings that describes Pakistan’s bowling unit.

As Afridi will now find himself playing in Sri Lanka (in a white-ball series) as a trial run, if he can return when expected back into the Pakistan side, they will have a bowling unit that is built for purpose rather than being cobbled together. Afridi’s left arm angle and later movement, in conditions such as those in Sri Lanka, where the ball may stop in its tracks and grip may favor variety, will be of significant value to Pakistan.