Saim Ayub suffers ankle injury during Cape Town Test

Pakistan suffered a seious blow during the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town when star batter Saim Ayub sustained an injury. The mishap sent shockwaves through the Green Shirts, particularly with crucial series and the Champion Trophy 2025 just around the corner.

The incident occurred when Ayub twisted his ankle while fielding. He was visibly in pain and unable to put weight on his right ankle. The extent of the injury is still unclear, but he was taken to the hospital for treatment.

It was the seventh over of the first day of the second Test match when Ayub chased a ball edged by Ryan Rickelton, lost his balance, and twisted his ankle. He was visibly in agony and had to be taken off the field.

The physio rushed to him, and after prolonged treatment outside the boundary line, he was unable to recover. He was taken to the hospital via stretcher.

However, Ayub's injury cast a pall over Pakistan's performance. Things took a turn for the worse when his replacement, Abdullah Shafique, lost his wicket on a simple chance a few overs later, while Aiden Markram was dropped in the covers.

Ayub's injury undoubtedly subdued the celebration, and rightly so. He had made a significant impact, particularly with the upcoming ICC Champion Trophy in mind. His impressive performances included a blistering century off just 53 balls against Zimbabwe in November 2024.

Saim Ayub has been a star player across formats in recent months, contributing significantly to Pakistan's 3-0 ODI series victory over South Africa, where he scored 200 runs in three matches.