Fakhar Zaman Ruled Out of Remainder of West Indies Tour with Hamstring Injury
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that Fakhar will return home on August 4, 2025, the day after the deciding third T20I. He will begin his rehabilitation under supervision at Pakistan’s National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore, where PCB’s medical team will oversee his recovery process and rehabilitation regimen.
This setback rules Fakhar out of the third T20I as well as the subsequent three‑match ODI series, scheduled to be played in Trinidad from August 8 to 12. While the PCB has confirmed Fakhar’s absence, they have yet to announce his replacement in the ODI squad.
In the first two T20Is, Fakhar managed to provide reasonable starts—scoring 28 and 20, respectively—but he failed to convert those into impactful innings. As a result, Khushdil Shah was chosen to open in the third T20I in his absence.
At 35, Fakhar is one of Pakistan’s most experienced white-ball batsmen, known for giving powerful starts at the top of the order. His absence therefore represents a significant blow to Pakistan’s lineup ahead of the ODI leg. Moreover, this injury bears a familiar resemblance to the setback he suffered earlier in 2025, when he was ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy due to a muscle strain sustained while fielding against New Zealand—ironically, that too came after replacing injured youngster Saim Ayub in the squad.
Despite this setback, Pakistan responded well in the third T20I, clinching the series 2–1 with a 13‑run victory. Openers Saim Ayub (66 off 49) and Sahibzada Farhan (74 off 53) stitched a crucial 138‑run stand, setting up a total of 189/4—after which Pakistan’s bowlers restricted West Indies to 176/6 in their reply.
With Fakhar on the sidelines, the ODI series now hinges on whether Pakistan can find a suitable replacement to reinforce their top order. As of now, the PCB has not named any replacement. Observers expect the selectors to make a call shortly given the importance of the upcoming matches. Fakhar’s early departure and uncertain recovery timeline might also cast doubt on his availability for the 2025 Asia Cup, which begins in early September—though an official statement on that front has not yet been released.
In summary, Fakhar Zaman will now head back to Pakistan on August 4 to begin rehab for a left hamstring strain that has ruled him out not only of the third T20I but also the full three‑match ODI series in Trinidad. While Pakistan managed to wrap up the T20I series without him, his absence leaves a gap at the top of the order just as the team shifts focus to the ODI format. A replacement pick is awaited, and Pakistan will hope his recovery is swift enough to keep him in contention for future tournaments later in the year.