Shaheen Shah Afridi avoids serious injury after jarring knee in T20 World Cup final

It was the same knee which had sustained ligament damage during a Test against Sri Lanka in July, leading to a prolonged spell on the sidelines, and there were initial concerns that he could have aggravated or replicated the problem

Shaheen Shah Afridi appears to have avoided serious injury after landing awkwardly while taking a catch during the T20 World Cup final.

The Pakistan seamer jarred his right knee while taking a catch to dismiss Harry Brook during his country's defeat by England in Melbourne on Sunday.

It was the same knee which had sustained ligament damage during a Test against Sri Lanka in July, leading to a prolonged spell on the sidelines, and there were initial concerns that he could have aggravated or replicated the problem.

Such a scenario would have ruled Afridi out of action for a long period of time, but the PCB released a statement on Monday, insisting that there was no major problem. 

^{Shaheen Shah Afridi suffered a knee injury in the T20 World Cup final [Getty Images]}

^{The PCB say Afridi's problem is not serious [Getty Images]}

A scan, the statement said, confirmed "no signs of an injury" and that any discomfort Afridi was experiencing - he limped out of the final having only been able to bowl one ball of his third over - was down to "a forced knee flexion while landing". 

The PCB said Afridi is in "high spirits". Reports earlier on Monday had suggested the injury was more serious, and that he would not feature for Pakistan in the Test series against England, which is due to begin on December 2.

Afridi was expected to sit out at least part of that series to avoid overloading him on his return from the knee issue, however. 

The quick has now returned to Pakistan along with the rest of his teammates, where he will continue rehabilitation at the national performance centre.

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