Srinagar: Former India cricketer and coach Ravi Shastri has said that Pakistan ace pacer Shaheen Afridi doesn’t look fully fit and should take break after T20 World Cup 2022.
On Sunday, the Pakistan team led by Shaheen Shah Afridi faced the Netherlands in T20 World Cup at Perth. The pacer went on to pick his first wicket of ongoing World Cup.
Shastri expressed his thoughts on Afridi’s disappointing return to international cricket ahead of Pakistan’s must-win match against the Netherlands. Due to a knee injury, Afridi missed the whole Asia Cup. He made his T20I comeback for Pakistan’s T20 World Cup showdown with arch-rivals India.
“One thing is clear to me, that he is hurting. In the sense of hurting, I mean physically. I don’t think he is fully fit. He has been brought back a little too early. So the expectations are a little bit too much on him. This is a World Cup. So the pressure is on him; he wants to play. The country wants him to play, and selectors want him to play. But he is gonna take it slowly. He is gonna get into the rhythm as the tournament progresses. I see him taking a big break after the tournament,” Shastri told Star Sports.
Afridi conceded 19 runs in four overs and took one wicket for Pakistan.