Shaheen, who has been fighting through a knee injury since July, recovered in time to feature in Pakistan’s World Cup campaign. After struggling for rhythm early on, Shaheen hit the right notes in the latter stages of the competition, ending as Pakistan’s highest wicket-taker. However, his participation in the final was curtailed by a return of the same issue, when he took the catch of Harry Brook and injured himself in the process. He attempted to bowl, but limped off the field after sending down just one ball in his third over. England capitalised on the absence to chase down 138 and win their second T20 World Cup title.

Shoaib Akhtar said that Pakistan should make a rule to “never, ever carry an unfit player,” terming the Shaheen injury to be “the turning point”, and the “over where we lost the World Cup.”

“He should have tried bowling on the side [of the pitch, before the over] to ascertain if he can bowl,” Akhtar told Zee News following Pakistan’s loss in the final. “If I was in his place, I would have put a local anaesthetic injection to numb the area, and bowled on the side first. He shouldn’t have bowled the over only.”

The over did turn out to be pivotal in the context of the game. Before Shaheen limped off, England were in a spot of bother, requiring 41 from 29 balls. The next five balls – bowled by part-timer Iftikhar Ahmed – went for 13 runs, and the equation came down to 28 needed off 24. England eventually chased it down with an over and five wickets to spare.

“He was 60-70 per cent fit,” said Akhtar. “Whenever there’s pressure on someone, that’s when their character, and the character of their body, truly shows. It was clear that Shaheen was never fully fit. But we can’t pin all the blame on him. He did well in the last two-three games, took wickets. But this is the World Cup final, right? If the leg breaks, it breaks. Whatever happens, happens. Just run, put in the effort. But it wasn’t in our destiny.”

Speaking on the same on his YouTube channel, Akhtar elaborated further on the painkiller angle, but concluded by saying that Shaheen should have risked himself to a point where it would have put his career on the line.

“If I was in the team management, I would have given him xylocaine [local anaesthetic] right away – it’s a syringe that they used to insert into my [injured] knees. Should have administered that and numbed his whole knee. And then, should have told Shaheen to try bowling a ball or two on the side, before the over, and check how he was feeling. This should be done, we used to do it too. Try to bowl on the side and see if it’s paining. If it is, leave it. Shouldn’t put the kid’s career at risk. World Cups will come and go. Shouldn’t make yourself unfit.”

When asked to comment on Akhtar’s comments on partaking painkillers Shoaib’s former Pakistan teammate Shahid Afridi – speaking to Pakistan channel Samaa TV – vehemently disagreed with the suggestion.

“No, no, no. I don’t think this is a valid argument,” Afridi said. “Painkillers are taken in a systematic manner, I’ve also taken them often in the past, but they have plenty of side-effects. Because at that time, it becomes numb and the pain disappears, but after the playing the game, the night or the day after, the pain intensifies.”

Shahid, earlier called Akhtar a one-of-a-kind bowler, praising him for being “mentally strong” and fighting his way through injuries. But he said that Shaheen need not risk himself, and should properly recuperate before taking the field again.

“I don’t think he should play with those injuries. Even if 80 per cent fit, he shouldn’t play. He should be rested and get properly fit. Need to deal with a lot of caution,” he said.