Star all-rounder Shahid Khan Afridi has withdrawn from the remainder of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season seven due to chronic back pain. The 41-year-old cricketer, who has been undergoing a rehab process, said he was taking part in his last edition of the PSL for fans, but the pain had become too much to bear.

“I was trying to sign off on a good note; my lower-back injury has been there for 15-16 years, and I have been playing with it. But now it has become so much that it has affected my groin, my knee and it goes down to extreme pain in my toes,” Afridi said in a video message.

“I tried to cope with it but can't tolerate the pain anymore. After all, health is wealth.

“I will go back and undergo rehabilitation on my fitness. There is a three-month break after PSL, then we have KPL [Kashmir Premier League] and T10 league. So I will soon return in front of my fans again,” the all-rounder said.

Shahid Afridi to miss some matches of PSL 2022

The development means that Saturday’s game against Islamabad United, where he changed the course of the match with a two-wicket over in the middle part of the innings and ran-out Azam Khan for naught with a direct hit, was effectively his last this season.

It was his 53rd outing in the PSL, where he represented four teams over the years, playing for Peshawar Zalmi, Multan Sultans, and Karachi Kings before joining Gladiators for his farewell season.

Afridi retired from international cricket more than five years ago but continued to take part in the PSL and other franchise cricket events. He led Zalmi in the first season and was part of the team that won the title the following year.

Quetta have not announced his replacement yet.