LAHORE: Former captain and all-rounder Shahid Afridi will not be playing in the Pakistan Super League eliminator due to knee injury, Karachi Kings announced Wednesday.
Kings’ also said that the Mukhtar Ahmed, Zulfiqar Babar and Danish Aziz have joined the squad.
On March 2, Shahid Afridi had been ruled out for at least ten days after reports revealed swelling in his knee. Over the course of the tournament Afridi’s knee injury worsened due to which the flamboyant cricketer will have to sit up today’s decider.
Alongside, the unavailability of captain Imad Wasim can also prove to be a big blow for the team. Imad had suffered a concussion after he stumbled while catching the ball during a match against Lahore Qalandars on March 11.
The Kings shared that the decision regarding Imad’s inclusion will be made today (Wednesday) afternoon after final assessment.
In his absence, England captain Eoin Morgan led the team, however, Morgan had confirmed beforehand that he won’t be travelling to Pakistan for the knockout stages of the PSL.
If Imad sits out, then Ravi Bopara will lead the Kings in the crucial eliminator against Peshawar Zalmi, which will be played in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium today.
On the other hand, Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal, who is playing for Peshawar Zalmi, will also remain unavailable for the match due to a knee issue.
Tamim is expected to go to Bangkok for medical assessment of his knee. The Bangladeshi cricketer may return for the final if Zalmi qualifies.
Peshawar Zalmi is going up against Karachi Kings in a decider match to see which team will cement its place in the final against Islamabad United. The final will be held in Karachi’s National Stadium on March 25.
