Pakistani opener Saim Ayub will travel to London to undergo treatment for his broken ankle. The PCB, which had earlier said that he would stay with the team and return to Pakistan after the end of the Newlands Test match, decided to immediately send him to London for specialist treatment. He will be accompanied by Pakistan assistant coach Azhar Mahood, who is currently with the team in Cape Town.
The PCB has in the past been criticized for the way players’ injuries have been handled and is looking to draw a line under this chapter. In 2022, Shaheen Afridi, who also suffered an on-field injury, initially traveled with the team before eventually being sent to London, but not before drawing growing criticism over the decision not to proceed to immediate treatment.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi highlighted the quality of care he believed Ayub would receive, saying he would be treated in the “best hospital in the world”.
“Saim Ayub will be examined by the sports orthopedic doctors in England as an immediate appointment has been made by the PCB. All resources will be used for his treatment.”
Ayub had to be run out of the field in the seventh over of the match, when Ryan Rickelton hit a delivery through the slips, sending Ayub into a chase at third alongside Aamer Jamal. Jamal brought it back as Ayub stood ready to be the relay player, but lost his balance and twisted his ankle. He immediately went down and appeared distressed holding his lower leg as the physio rushed over.
Despite prolonged treatment outside the boundary, Ayub was unable to put weight on his right ankle and appeared to be in tears as he was placed on a stretcher and taken away. He was later seen on crutches in the medical boot. The PCB later said he would be ruled out for six weeks, putting him in a race against time to be fit for the Champions Trophy, which begins on February 19.
