Lahore , 20 May (H.S.): Pakistan cricket team has suffered a major setback ahead of the upcoming ODI series against Australia, with opening batters Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub ruled out due to injuries.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Wednesday that both players have been advised a rehabilitation programme under the supervision of the medical panel. However, the board did not provide details regarding the severity of their injuries or their expected return timeline.

The ODI series between Australia and Pakistan is scheduled to begin on May 30 in Rawalpindi. The remaining two matches will be played in Lahore on June 2 and June 4.

Fakhar Zaman has previously missed several matches due to a recurring knee problem. Meanwhile, Saim Ayub is reported to have aggravated an ankle injury during the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Saim Ayub had suffered a fracture in his right ankle while fielding during the second Test against South Africa in January last year. He had returned to the national side after a long recovery period, but his performance in the Pakistan Super League fell short of expectations.

Following the T20 World Cup, Saim was also not part of the ODI squad for the Bangladesh tour. Fakhar Zaman, too, was not selected for that series, which Pakistan lost 1–2.

Both left-handed batters were last seen in action during the home ODI series against Sri Lanka in November 2025.

For the Australia series, Sahibzada Farhan may be retained in the squad, while there is also consideration of assigning opening responsibilities to Babar Azam.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar