PSL 2022: Shahid Afridi calls time on PSL career due to back issue

Veteran Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has decided to hang his boots from his Pakistan Super League career due to a back problem.

Afridi had decided to take part in the ongoing PSL on the special demands of his fans. The all-rounder was representing Quetta Gladiators in the ongoing season and he missed the initial few matches after he was tested positive for Covid-19.

In fact, Afridi had scalped two wickets in his quota of four overs and conceded only 27 runs against Islamabad United on Saturday.

The talisman suffered a back injury while training for Quetta Gladiators. Afridi didn’t have the best of returns after recovering from Covid-19 as he was taken for 67 runs in his four overs. The veteran also represented teams like Peshawar Zalmi, Multan Sultans, and Karachi Kings in his PSL career.

“I was trying to sign off on a good note; my lower-back injury has been there for 15-16 years, and I have been playing with it. But now it has become so much that it has affected my groin, my knee and it goes down to extreme pain in my toes,” Afridi said in a social media message.

“I tried to cope with it but can’t tolerate the pain anymore. After all, when you have good health, you have the world with you. I will go back and undergo rehabilitation on my fitness. There is cricket coming up… So I will soon return in front of my fans again,” he added.

The leg-spinner took 47 wickets in his PSL career at an average of 26.51. Furthermore, he scored 459 runs at a blistering strike rate of 150.8.

Meanwhile, Quetta Gladiators won their last match against Islamabad United by five wickets after Sarfaraz Ahmed played a match-winning knock of 50 runs. The Gladiators will next face Lahore Qalandars on Sunday.