“I will blame the captain”: Danish Kaneria blames Babar Azam for Shaheen Afridi’s knee injury which ruled him out of Asia Cup 2022

Danish Kaneria blames Babar Azam for not paying heed to Shaheen Shah Afridi’s workload management ahead of Asia Cup 2022.

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has come down on Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, for carelessly handling the team’s champion fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi’s knee injury, which he had picked up during the first Test match of the tour of Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium last month.

Failing to recover, the 22-year-old was ruled out the previous week from the imminent Asia Cup 2022, and from the seven-match T20I series at home against England next month as well, as the board wishes to keep him fit and ready for the ICC T20 World Cup which would follow next.

It is worth of a mention that Afridi was part of the team squad that left for the Netherlands to partake in the three-match ODI series a few days ago alongside a couple of doctors, in order to manage his “long-term workload and health”.

However, despite it all, just a day before the final ODI, the ace pacer was ruled out of Cricketing action for the next four-six weeks, as advised by the PCB’s medical advisory committee.

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Danish Kaneria blames Babar Azam

However, Kaneria refuses to cut some slack for Babar, as he partly blames the latter, the selection committee, and the team management, who now play the tournament without his services.

“Pakistan are badly struggling and they are to be blamed themselves. I will blame the captain; I will blame the selection committee and their management. You see a guy who’s been a wicket-taker, who’s been phenomenal with the white ball and a great fast bowler. But, you’ll need to make him rest, he will break down one day. And now Pakistan are without Shaheen Shah Afridi, who will take wickets?,” exclaimed Kaneria during an interaction with the news media outlet News18.

The 41-year-old also questioned India’s wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul’s place in the team’s Asia Cup 2022 squad, and was also critical of Virat Kohli’s decision to skip team India’s tour of West Indies, despite being out of form.