Pakistan faced a heartbreaking loss in the final of the T20 World Cup to England last month in Melbourne. In a closely-contested titular clash at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, England chased down the target with an over to spare, losing five wickets. Pakistan faced a setback during the final stages of the game against England when their star pacer Shaheen Afridi's knee injury relapsed, and he was forced to leave the field.
Afridi's injury took place during the 13th over of the match when he took the catch of Harry Brook in the run-chase, and even though he returned to the field a few overs later to bowl his third over of the innings, Afridi was eventually forced to leave after merely a ball.
During an event organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Afridi recalled the moment when he had to leave the game during the run-chase.
"Main jab gira tha, uss time laga tha ki meri knee kat gayi hai. Mujhse walk bhi nahi ho raha tha. Haris mere saath walk kar raha tha, mujhe baar baar keh raha tha "aa jao, aa jao". Main bola, “aa jaunga, sabr toh karo. check karne do. (When i fell down, I thought I had cut my knee. I couldn't walk. Haris was walking with me, he was saying, ‘come back, come back’. I said, ‘I will come, have some patience!’"
“Main fir gaya, physio ne jab check kiya, maine kaha World Cup ka final hai, mere 2 overs zraoori hai. Mujhe tape kar dein. Unhone kaha swelling badh rahi hai, injury aa sakti hai. Unhone mujhe medicine diya, but jab maine running kiya, kaptaan ne kaha ki aap jaayein kyunki mujhe feel hua meri knee jawaab nahi de rahi. Meri koshish ye hi rahegi ki jab tak jaan hai, iss team pe kurbaan hai. (Physio said that the swelling was increasing, but I said that it is the World Cup final, my 2 overs are important. Please tape me. But when I ran, the captain asked me to leave because my knee wasn't just supporting me that time. But I always try to give my all for Pakistan)," Afridi said.
{{/usCountry}}“Main fir gaya, physio ne jab check kiya, maine kaha World Cup ka final hai, mere 2 overs zraoori hai. Mujhe tape kar dein. Unhone kaha swelling badh rahi hai, injury aa sakti hai. Unhone mujhe medicine diya, but jab maine running kiya, kaptaan ne kaha ki aap jaayein kyunki mujhe feel hua meri knee jawaab nahi de rahi. Meri koshish ye hi rahegi ki jab tak jaan hai, iss team pe kurbaan hai. (Physio said that the swelling was increasing, but I said that it is the World Cup final, my 2 overs are important. Please tape me. But when I ran, the captain asked me to leave because my knee wasn't just supporting me that time. But I always try to give my all for Pakistan)," Afridi said.
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