Our every player is a match winner: Injured Shaheen backs Pakistan for Asia Cup win

Pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi backs his team to win the Asia Cup despite missing out on the big tournament with an injury.

Afridi will miss the Asia Cup in the UAE and the home series against England as he continues to recover from a knee injury, the country's cricket board said on Saturday.

The 22-year-old left-arm fast bowler, who suffered a ligament injury in his right knee during a test series in Sri Lanka last month, has been advised to take four to six weeks of rest.

Despite the injury blow, Afridi sounded upbeat as he wished his teammates ahead of the big tournament in the UAE.

"Every player of our playing 11 is a match winner. Wishing my team the best of luck for upcoming Asia Cup," Afridi wrote on social media while sharing a group picture of the Pakistan team.

"To the fans, keep me in your prayers for my quick recovery. I'll be back soon Inshallah."

PCB chief medical officer Najeebullah Soomro said Afridi is likely to return before the start of the T20 World Cup (October 16-November 13) in Australia.

"I have spoken with Shaheen and he is understandably upset with the news," Soomro said in a statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

"Although he has made progress during his rehabilitation in Rotterdam, it is now clear he will require more time and is likely to return to competitive cricket in October."

Afridi has travelled to the Netherlands with the team, who play their third and final one-day international in Rotterdam on Sunday.

Pakistan will begin their Asia Cup campaign in Dubai with an Aug. 28 blockbuster against arch-rivals India.

That will be followed by a seven-match Twenty20 home series against England.

The PCB expects Afridi to return to action in a tri-series in New Zealand in October before heading to Australia for the Twenty20 World Cup.