Saim Ayub has been ruled out of the rest of Pakistan's Test match against South Africa in Cape Town after sustaining an ankle injury on day one, and is set to be out of action for six weeks.
After twisting his ankle from losing his balance in the field chasing down a ball, Ayub was supported off the pitch and did not rejoin the field. A PCB update on day two of the match read: "Saim underwent X-rays and MRI tests this afternoon and the reports have been sent to specialists in London for further advice on the treatment and time away from competitive cricket."
It was later revealed that Ayub had suffered a fracture, for which the recovery time could take as long as six weeks. That would take Ayub's return to action to the week of the start of the Champions Trophy, which Pakistan will host. Whether Ayub will be available for selection for that campaign has not been announced.
If he is unable to take his place in Pakistan's ODI side for the Champions Trophy, it could present the side with a significant dilemma. Since making his debut in November, Ayub has been in sensational form in the 50-over format. He has scored three centuries in nine matches and currently averages 64.37. He was named Player of the Series in Pakistan's 3-0 win over South Africa, and jumped from 70th to joint 23rd in the ICC rankings.
A big setback to Pakistan midway through the Cape Town Test
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) January 4, 2025
Read here ➡️ https://t.co/gLzNzJRYNh pic.twitter.com/HGs87VMhth
Ayub's success at the top of the order was a significant positive for Pakistan going into a landmark tournament. Having not played an ODI for over a year following the 2023 World Cup, in which they finished fifth, Ayub replaced Fakhar Zaman as Abdullah Shafique's opening partner. While Zaman's overall success in the format has been a cornerstone of Pakistan's ODI side since his debut in 2017, there were questions over his form in the run-up to the 2023 World Cup, and his strike rate also came in for criticism.
The main factor in his omission from Pakistan's return to the format, however, was likely his dispute with the PCB over a Tweet he posted in support of Babar Azam following the latter being dropped from the Test side. Zaman also missed out in the PCB's latest round of central contracts. Ayub's instant success as Fakhar's successor alleviated any worries from the PCB over replacing Fakhar in the side.
However, should Ayub not recover in time for the Champions Trophy, those worries will return. They will have to face a dilemma over whether to recall Zaman, who averaged 28.33 in domestic List A cricket this season, or turn to someone else. Since 2020, the other openers Pakistan have used in ODIs are Abid Ali and Shan Masood, who last played the format in 2020 and 2023 respectively, and Imam-ul-Haq.
Imam, who also missed out on a PCB central contract, could be a viable option, after a good List A season in Pakistan. He has also recently made a return to Pakistan's 'A' side, the Shaheens, for a warm-up match against West Indies.
Either way, missing their brightest young spark would undoubtedly be a hefty blow to Pakistan less than two months out from hosting their first ICC tournament since the 1996 World Cup.
Follow Wisden for all cricket updates, including live scores, match stats, quizzes and more. Stay up to date with the latest cricket news, player updates, team standings, match highlights, video analysis and live match odds.
