The 28-year-old Pakistan opening batsman Fakhar Zaman is likely to miss the three-match Test series in their upcoming South Africa tour.
Fakhar is suffering from an aggravated knee injury and it is expected that he needs three to five weeks to get match-fit. Currently, the Pakistan opening batsman is in rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesperson informed Cricbuzz that the further test of his injured knee will be done on Tuesday (December 4).
The left-handed batsman got that injury during the second T20I of three-match T20I series against Australia at Dubai. During his brilliant effort to a successful run-out to the Australian batsman Ben McDermott, Fakhar landed roughly on his knee and received a pain. Later, he missed the third T20I of the series and also missed the first T20I of another three-match T20I series against New Zealand at Abu Dhabi.
However, he returned to the national squad for the next two T20Is and also featured in following all three ODIs against New Zealand. But during that period, his knee’s condition worsened and he has been forced to miss the following three-match Test series against New Zealand in UAE. Initially, he was expected to be fit before the third Test but his recent medical reports claimed that he needs three to five weeks more to get match-fit.
It means Fakhar is hugely doubtful for the entire Test series in South Africa tour. While the three-match Test series will begin on December 26 at Centurion, the third Test will begin on January 11 at Johannesburg.
After the completion of Test series, Pakistan will play the five-match ODI series and three-match T20I series against the hosts South Africa.
While he made his limited-overs debut in last year, recently Fakhar made his Test debut during the Test series against Australia in this October. Fakhar has played only Test, 26 ODIs and 26 T20Is till the date.
