File photo of Saim Ayub.© AFP
Pakistan’s young opener Saim Ayub has completed his rehabilitation for an ankle injury and will undergo a fitness test before he is cleared to play in the Pakistan Super League beginning April 11. According to a source in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Saim has returned to Lahore after completing his rehab in London under the supervision of sports injuries specialists in the UK. “He has to now undergo some fitness tests in Lahore before he is cleared to take part in the PSL,” the source said. He added if the PCB medical panel felt it would be better to give Saim more rest before he returns to cricket, then that will be done regardless of the PSL.
Saim, who made a big impact on the tours of Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa by scoring two hundreds in the ODI series in South Africa, fractured his ankle while fielding on the boundary on day one of the second Test in January.
The PCB then sent him to London for consultations with experts who decided he should undergo rehab there.
The source said seasoned opener Fakhar Zaman has also shown good progress after his injury, which he sustained at the start of the Champions Trophy, and is preparing to play in the PSL.
Haris Rauf returns to Pakistan ODI squad vs NZ
Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf has joined the ODI squad in New Zealand after initially being dropped from the format for a three-match series against the Black Caps.
Haris and Shaheen Shah Afridi were named in the T20I squad but sidelined for the ODI series because of sloppy outing in the Champions Trophy where hosts Pakistan ended without a win.
But Haris emerged as Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker — with seven scalps — in the just-concluded T20I series that the Kiwis won 4-1 as the team management had to rethink their decision.
Haris and Shaheen were dropped from the ODI squad because of poor form in the Champions Trophy in which hosts Pakistan ended without a win.
According to a PCB source selector Aaqib Javed had also requested for a reserve wicketkeeper-batter to be added to the ODI squad and Muhammad Haris or Usman Khan would also be retained for the ODI series beginning at Napier on Saturday.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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