Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub excluded from the Australian ODIs (Photo: ESPNcricinfo)
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Wednesday that Pakistani openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub have been ruled out of the three-match ODI series against Australia due to injuries.
The series is scheduled to begin on May 30 in Rawalpindi, with the remaining two matches to be held in Lahore on June 2 and 4.In an official statement, the PCB said that both left-handed players are currently undergoing rehabilitation under the supervision of the PCB’s medical committee.“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that both players are currently recovering from their injuries and have been advised to continue their rehabilitation programs under the supervision of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s Medical Committee.”
Hence, they were excluded from selection for the ODI series.“The PCB wishes both players a speedy recovery and looks forward to seeing them return to competitive cricket at the earliest opportunity. Further updates regarding the team and player fitness will be shared in due course,” he added.
While the board did not reveal specific details about their injuries or recovery timelines, sources indicated that Fakhar is suffering from a knee problem, while Saim suffered an ankle injury during the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Fakhar previously suffered from a chronic knee problem that forced him to miss matches in the past. Meanwhile, Sime’s ankle concerns date back to January last year, when he fractured his right ankle while playing during the second Test against South Africa. The youngster recently returned to international cricket after a long recovery period.Saim also endured a disappointing PSL campaign and was left out of Pakistan’s ODI squad for the Bangladesh series after the T20 World Cup.
Fakhar was also not selected for the tour of Bangladesh, which Pakistan lost 2-1.Both players last appeared in ODIs during Pakistan’s home series against Sri Lanka in November 2025. With the duo unavailable, Sahibzada Farhan, who recently toured Bangladesh, is expected to retain his place in the team, while former captain Babar Azam is also considered an opening option for the Australia series.