Shaheen Shah Afridi shares his 'tough' road to recovery

Pakistan's ace fast-bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has spoken out about his difficult recovery from a knee injury.

During the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in July, the left-arm pacer suffered a right knee ligament injury. He returned to action during the T20 World Cup 2022 warm-up matches against England and Afghanistan after a full recovery.

ALSO READ: Tom Moody rates Shaheen as one of the deadliest bowlers in T20I the World Cup

In a video released by the Pakistan Cricket Board with fellow pacer Haris Rauf, Shaheen stated that he had the support of his teammates during his time away from the field.

“It was an adamant phase in rehab, and I missed playing on the field. But despite being away from the game, I did call my teammates at times and spoke to them,” said Afridi.

The 22-year-old also stated that he was in a lot of pain during his recovery, but he was determined to play for Pakistan in the T20 World Cup in 2022.

“At first, I could not even walk. But the aim was to play in the T20 World Cup, and my focus was on doctors’ advice,” he said.

“I had never had such an injury, and the feeling of walking with braces was quite difficult. I used to experience pain but took things slowly and reaped benefits,” he added.

Shaheen also stressed the importance of patience while recovering from his injury and thanked his fans for their continued support.

“Slowly, I regained 80 percent fitness, then 90, and finally 100 percent. When you return from an injury, the body does not react perfectly, but I understood that I must be patient. I thank my fans for the love and support,” said the lanky pacer.

Shaheen will play an essential role in Pakistan's T20 World Cup campaign, with the Men in Green hoping for quick wickets with the new ball.

The fast bowler has played in 25 Tests, 32 ODIs, and 40 T20Is since making his debut in 2018.

Pakistan's first match in the mega event will take place on October 23 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against archrival India. However, the clash between the traditional rivals could be washed out due to rain.

Shaheen Shah Afridi's road to recovery 🦅

Full video 👉 https://t.co/Ep6SORK2Fo#T20WorldCup | #WeHaveWeWill pic.twitter.com/6iCAY3MuRX

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 20, 2022