LAHORE: Babar Azam's team will probably be on edge up until the first game of the mega event is played, despite Pakistan including express pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 15-man squad for the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia and keeping batsman Fakhar Zaman among the reserves. However, the pair are not yet out of the woods, as they are still dealing with injuries.

According to an ICC report citing the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Zaman hurt his right knee while fielding at the T20 Asia Cup final in Dubai and will go to London to start his recovery.

After injuring his knee in the first innings, Zaman was bowled for a first-ball duck as Pakistan lost the championship match to Sri Lanka. Due to worries about his form and fitness, 32-year-old Zaman is one of three travelling reserves in the T20 World Cup squad.

The recently concluded Asia Cup saw the former No. 2 T20I batter score just 96 runs in six innings, with the majority coming from a half-century against Hong Kong during the group stage.

The batter will also miss Pakistan's seven-match T20I home series against England, where he had wanted to fight himself a berth in the team should a spot open up for him in the final T20 World Cup selection.

The star pace bowler is reportedly making fantastic progress in his recovery and is on course to recuperate in time for the T20 World Cup. The left-handed batter will instead join Afridi in London.

Afridi was Pakistan's most important bowler against India in the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup match. With a remarkable 3/31, Afridi's team defeated their bitter rivals by 10 wickets in the UAE. Afridi, 22, has been nominated to Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad despite missing the recently finished Asia Cup due to a knee injury. His inclusion is essential to the team's success in the next competition.

On October 23 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Pakistan takes on India in the tournament's opening match (MCG).

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