Young Pakistan opener Saim Ayub has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after being prescribed a rehabilitation period of at least 10 weeks to recover from an ankle injury. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Friday that Saim, who sustained the injury in South Africa in January, is ‘progressing well in his recovery from the ankle fracture and will continue his rehabilitation in England’.
“Following comprehensive MRI scans, X-rays, and medical assessments, Saim has been ruled out for 10 weeks from the date of injury (3 January),” the PCB said in a statement.
“His availability for the New Zealand tour will be subject to clearing all fitness tests and medical requirements.”
Update on Saim Ayub
Details here
https://t.co/cNlsYigWsb
— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) February 7, 2025
Saim had sustained the injury while fielding on the first day of the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town. Pakistan will tour New Zealand for five T20Is and three ODIs from March 16 to April 5, which will be followed by the Pakistan Super League starting on April 8.
The 22-year-old southpaw opener emerged as Pakistan’s top batsman on tours to Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, where he scored back-to-back hundreds in ODIs in South Africa and also a T20 century in Zimbabwe.
Babar Azam will open
In the absence of injured Saim Ayub, Pakistan has slotted their premier batter Babar Azam as one of the opening options with recalled Fakhar Zaman in both the tri-series and the Champions Trophy 2025.
One of the world’s most prolific ODI batters in his usual No. 3 spot, Babar has played just two games as an opener in his glittering one-day international career.
Ayub was ruled out of the Champions Trophy after fracturing his right ankle during a Test match against South Africa last month. Pakistan has also recalled all-rounders Faheem Ashraf and Khushdil Shah to give more bowling and batting options in the middle-order with Abrar Ahmed as the sole specialist spinner in the squad.
Shaheen Shah Afridi will spearhead Pakistan’s pace attack which also includes white-ball specialists Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain.
NZ targets perfect prep
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner welcomes its chance to play Pakistan in the tri-series ahead of the Black Caps’ opening game of the Champions Trophy against the hosts at Karachi on February 19. “It’s good prep for us,” Santner said on Friday. “Lahore might play slightly different to Karachi, but a game against Pakistan and then similar conditions to probably what we’re going to face for that first game in Karachi, so it’s obviously a good lead in.”
New Zealand is sweating on the fitness of fast bowler Lockie Ferguson and has flown in Jacob Duffy as backup in the tri-series. Santner hopes former captain Kane Williamson will provide New Zealand enough cushion in the middle-order but was wary of Zaman’s big hitting upfront which saw Pakistan beating New Zealand in a high-scoring World Cup match at Bangalore in 2023.
“He’s (Zaman) a problem for us,” Santner said. “He likes playing New Zealand. I think he’s got runs every time he’s played us … we know how good he is along with a lot of their top six, top seven (batters). We know it’s going to be a challenge, but we are ready.”
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