Pakistan has faced a huge setback just after two T20Is in their Caribbean trip of the white-ball series, which also includes three one-day internationals. Their star opening batter, Fakhar Zaman, has been ruled out of the third T20I and the following three-match 50-over series against the West Indies after sustaining a left hamstring strain during the second fixture in Lauderhill. 

Khusdil Shah replaced the left-handed opening batter in the playing eleven of the third encounter. Fakhar Zaman picked up the injury during the 19th over of the West Indies’ innings when he was chasing a ball in the outfield. He pulled up his hammy as the subsequent medical assessment by the team’s support staff confirmed a mild strain on his left hamstring.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that immediate treatment and the required initial management had already been provided to the player, who will now fly back home on August 04, the day after the end of the T20I series. His rehabilitation will continue under the supervision of the PCB medical side at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore.

Fakhar Zaman ruled out of Pakistan’s remainder of Caribbean trip with hamstring injury

The board is likely to name a replacement if there is a requirement for the 50-over squad. The opening batter got starts in both the opening games of the series at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Florida, but the issue was not to carry the momentum and kick on from there, having scores of 28 and 20.

The injury to the 35-year-old has now raised an uncanny issue among the selectors, who went through the same during the Champions Trophy earlier this year. On the second ball of the opening game, Zaman, looking to stop the cover drive, pulled up in discomfort before getting ruled out of the event the following day. Even at that time, Saim Ayub was also unavailable as he had injured himself while chasing a ball and spent three months on the sidelines.

The opening 50-over clash of the three-match series will begin on August 08 at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad.