Asia Cup 2022 Championship: How big is the absence of Shaheen Shah Afridi?
The 22-year-old pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi was ruled out of the Asia Cup 2022 due to a right knee ligament injury he sustained in a Test match against Sri Lanka. This news is a massive blow to Pakistan's team and their journey in the tournament
shaheen Afridi is ruled out of Asia Cup 2022 due to a right knee ligament injuryShaheen Shah Afridi has played a massive role in Pakistan's 10-wicket win over India in the T20 World Cup 2021. His effort to dismiss India's top-three batter helped Pakistan grab first in the World Cup.
"It's a massive setback for Pakistan that Shaheen Shah Afridi is out of the Asia Cup. If you look at the last match against India, he created pressure right from the very first over in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup," said former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Afridi can be highly lethal with a new white ball to be the prolific wicket-takers in the powerplay. His pace and talent to help Pakistan grab crucial breakthroughs in important matches grabbed him the spotlight as one of the vital members of the playing XI. He has been one of the most consistent performers for Pakistan across formats.
Speaking of his absence, former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris said, "So, everything you would want from a fast bowler, he has it. So, I'm with you. I think that every top order in this competition, not just the Indian top order who are susceptible to the ball coming back, I think that they will be delighted that he isn't there and it gives them a greater chance of winning the tournament."
Will Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah mitigate it?
Despite Shaheen Shah Afridi's absence from the squad, many veterans believe that the India-Pakistan clash and even other matches of the team will live up to the expectations.
While Shaheen Afridi has been the marquee bowler for his team, someone like Haris Rauf can step up from being Afridi's support to the team's leading bowler. Haris Rauf has a decent record in the t20s with 42 wickets from 35 matches and an economy rate of 8.51.
Youngster Naseem Shah played impressively in his international debut series, raising many expectations from himself. Naseem Shah barely holds experience on the global platform, especially in white-ball format. But still, if chosen over Hasan Ali in the squad, he definitely will be in plans to be playing alongside Haris Rauf in the playing XI.
It's difficult to say whether they will be able to fill Shaheen's absence in the squad, but the pace-attack depends on them for Pakistan's success in the tournament.
Follow all of today's Cricket matches on our Live Match Centre