Speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi is set to make a comeback to the Pakistan dressing after recovering from a knee injury. Back in July, the left-arm quick injured himself while playing a Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle and later, he was ruled out of the Asia Cup 2022. But now, the Pakistan team is set to receive a massive boost as Shaheen is likely to feature in the 2nd T20I of the Tri-nation series against New Zealand on Saturday in Christchurch.
If Shaheed returns into the mix and manages to get his rhythm, it will be a massive positive for Pakistan ahead of the much-awaited T20I World Cup, starting next week. The Men in Green will begin their campaign against arch-rivals India at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 23.
Ahead of returning to the field, Shaheen posted a cryptic message on Twitter. The speedster posted his picture and wrote, “Calm before the storm."
Shaheen’s message is possibly hinting at his comeback after the injury layoff. His return would be considered a major concern for the Indian team, especially after what he did in the last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE.
The youngster simply tore apart the Indian top order, dismissing the likes of KL Rahul (3), Rohit Sharma (0) and Virat Kohli (57). After his mayhem, the India team could post a paltry 151/7 in 20 overs. In reply, Pakistan captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammed Rizwan stitched an unbeaten 152-run opening stand, handing India their first-ever defeat in a World Cup game.
Pakistan have named a mouth-watering pace unit for the showpiece event in Australia. Besides Afridi, they have Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain in the squad. The bowling department looks pretty strong but Pakistan is facing a serious issue with its middle order.
Before flying to Australia for the much-awaited T20 World Cup, Babar Azam & Co will look to fine-tune their batting woes in New Zealand. They played decently in the opening game against Bangladesh, registering a 21-run win on Monday.
Pakistan will face New Zealand in their next fixture on Saturday and will look to carry the momentum forward in the series.
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