GALLE: Pakistan announced Thursday that pace bowler Shaheen Afridi would not be playing in the second Test against Sri Lanka due to a knee injury.
Shaheen Afridi Out:
Due to a knee injury, Pakistan’s fast bowler Shaheen Afridi, who had an outstanding performance in the first test, won’t be able to take part in the second test, which will start on Sunday.
Afridi, who is only 22 years old but is the finest seam bowler on either team, contributed significantly to Pakistan’s victory in the first test match, which they won by four wickets in Galle.
Left-arm fast Shaheen played an important role in the tourists’ first victory on Wednesday in Galle by taking four wickets in the first innings. This result was the tourists’ first of the series
During the first innings of the first Test, Afridi was instrumental in helping bowl Sri Lanka out for 222 runs. He took 4 for 58 in 14.1 overs. On day three, he departed the field looking in pain after just bowling seven overs in Sri Lanka’s second innings, which lasted 100 overs. The Pakistan team’s medical personnel will continue to oversee his “initial recovery and care” while he remains in Sri Lanka till the Tests conclude.
On day four of the test, Pakistan’s three-format star Shaheen fell down with an injury, which was an unfortunate turn of events for Pakistan.
As a result of the knee injury he sustained on the fourth day of the first test, Shaheen Afridi will not be participating in the second test, which is scheduled to start on July 24 in Galle.
According to the announcement, he will complete his initial recuperation and treatment while remaining with the Test squad that is now stationed in Sri Lanka.
The match ended on a tight fifth day, with the 22-year-old Shaheen leading the Pakistani pace attack alongside Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah. Shaheen has taken 99 wickets in 25 Tests since making his debut in 2018.
Pakistan took an early 1-0 lead in the two-match series thanks to an unbeaten 160 from opener Abdullah Shafique, who also anchored Pakistan’s record chase of 342 at the Galle International Stadium.
On the third day, Afridi got injured after he stumbled off the field after diving to cut off a boundary hit by Dinesh Chandimal while fielding at midwicket. While x-rays showed no signs of a fracture, the patient was still deemed unfit due to severe discomfort and swelling.
Read More: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by four wicket
It was revealed earlier on Thursday by Sri Lanka Cricket that spinner Maheesh Theekshana would not be participating in the second Test owing to an injury he sustained to his finger.
The spinner finished the first innings of the first test with statistics of 2-68 for Pakistan’s first innings. Lakshitha Manasinghe, a player who is versatile and can play in a variety of positions, has been called up to the national team to take the place of an injured player.
The batsman Pathum Nissanka, who was injured when he caught Covid during the second Australia Test earlier this month, is expected to be fit enough to participate in the final Pakistan match, which will start in Galle on Sunday.
Because of its prominence in the World Test Championship, this series is of paramount importance to Sri Lanka. Their loss in the first Test dropped them to sixth place overall, with a points percentage of 48.15. Pakistan, on the other hand, rose to third place, scoring 58.33 percent of the possible points.
