Pakistan’s opening batsman Fakhar Zaman has been ruled out of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy after suffering a back injury during the team’s opening match against New Zealand, sources confirmed on Thursday.
According to team sources, doctors have advised the left-handed batter to take complete rest, ruling him out of the remainder of the tournament.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to make an official statement soon regarding his replacement in the squad.
Zaman sustained the injury while fielding in the very first over of the match at the National Stadium Karachi. Attempting to stop a boundary off Shaheen Shah Afridi’s bowling, the opener managed to save the ball but fell awkwardly near the boundary rope.
He was seen clutching his lower back before signalling for a substitute fielder.
The team’s physiotherapist attended to him near the boundary before escorting him to the dressing room for further assessment. However, following medical evaluations, doctors recommended rest, effectively ending his participation in the tournament.
Pakistan, who won the toss and opted to bowl first against New Zealand, will now have to rethink their opening combination for the remaining matches of the competition.
This development comes as a major setback for the Green Shirts, as Zaman was expected to play a key role in their top order. The PCB is likely to announce his replacement in the coming days.
