With the T20 World Cup 2022 barely a few days away, PCB chairman Ramiz Raja on Thursday (October 13) provided an update on Shaheen Afridi’s fitness, saying that the left-arm pacer is 90 per cent ready for the marquee event but his availability will depend on how he plays in the two warm-up games.
Shaheen is set to join the national team in Australia on Saturday (October 15) after completing his rehabilitation for a knee injury under the supervision of the PCB Medical Advisory Committee.
The lanky fast bowler will be available for selection for the Word Cup warm-up fixtures against England and Afghanistan on October 17 and 19, respectively.
"I have spoken to him we are in touch with his doctors and the feedback we have got is he is 90 percent ready," Ramiz said, as quoted by PTI.
"But knee injuries can be delicate and technical and we have to see if he feels any soreness after playing the warm-up games. On his part he says he is ready and I think we are also ready."
Pakistan will begin open their T20 World Cup 2022 campaign against arch-rivals India at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 23.
"I will say this that the mechanics of the World Cup are such that even as an independent observer I can say with confidence that our team can become the champions. We have a very good outfit," Ramiz stated.
Pakistan’s opening duo of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam has come under the scanner for their cautious batting approach lately. While there have been calls for separating the pair, the PCB chief isn’t entertaining any such opinion.
"I am surprised we talk about separating them when the talking point for any team is having a solid opening pair. The three make points for a team to be successful is to have a good opening pair and we also have good bowlers.
"Yes the team does disappoint us sometimes but they have a 75 percent success ration which is why fans and our commercial partners are engaging with them. They are issues with the middle order but I don't see any reason to change something which has worked for us until now.”
(With PTI inputs)
