Watch: Shaheen Shah Afridi was back in whites today for the first time in almost a year, beating the bat twice during a maiden first over in a warm-up game against a Sri Lanka XI.

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Shaheen last played a Test match last July, again against Sri Lanka. He picked up an injury during that series, which aggravated on his return to international cricket during the 2022 T20 World Cup. He limped off the field during the final against England that Pakistan ended up losing.

That injury ruled him out of Pakistan’s subsequent home series against England, in which the hosts succumbed to a 3-0 defeat. After a successful PSL campaign where his side lifted the trophy once more and a stint in the T20 Blast, Shaheen is now back in red ball action for his country.

Shaheen was named in the 16-man squad for the two Test matches in Sri Lanka, and is currently playing in a two-day warm-up game against a Sri Lanka President’s XI. In his first over, he looked back to near his best.

The batter played his first ball into the off side, and defended the second back towards Shaheen. It was with the third that Shaneen really found his stride, zipping the ball just past the outside edge and through to the keeper.

The fourth was shorter, wide outside the off-stump and left alone before the next also just went past the outside edge. The final ball of the over was left alone well outside the off stump.

The match is an important milestone in Shaheen’s journey back to Test cricket. Pakistan’s first Test against Sri Lanka is set to begin on July 16 in Galle.

Watch: Shaheen Shah Afridi bowls at speed, beats bat twice in first red-ball over in a year below

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