The PCB said it expected Afridi to be fit for the October T20I tri-series in New Zealand, also involving Bangladesh, ahead of the T20 World Cup.

"I have spoken with Afridi and he is understandably upset with the news, but he is brave young man who has vowed to come back strongly to serve his country and team," Dr Najeebullah Soomro, PCB chief medical officer, said in a statement. "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."

With Pakistan's best bowler out of action until so close to the T20 World Cup, his fitness for the event has become uncertain.

In recent years, 22-year-old Afridi has established himself as Pakistan's frontline bowler across all three formats, and alongside Babar, is Pakistan's best known and most marketable cricketer. He has tended to play most of Pakistan's internationals, often without rest, but this is the first time he appears to have suffered a significant injury. He has 47 wickets in 40 T20Is, and has played at least 25 internationals in all three formats since his debut in 2018.

The PCB said Afridi would stay with the squad in the Netherlands to complete his rehabilitation, and a replacement for the Asia Cup would be announced soon.

Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan (vice-capt), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir.