Reason Behind Fakhar Zaman And Saim Ayub’s Absence In Squad

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has just revealed the squad of Pakistan for its upcoming white-ball series where Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub are not a part of the squad against New Zealand, comprising five T20I matches and three ODI matches. The series will start on March 16, 2025, as Pakistan’s first international action following their poor performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The announcement of the squad has created some eyebrows, especially over the exclusion of opening batsmen Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub from both the T20I and ODI teams.

Fakhar Zaman’s Injury and Absence

Pakistan’s key top-order player Fakhar Zaman missed out on inclusion in the squad after he was injured while playing in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Fakhar was made to depart the tournament after being declared unfit through an injury in Pakistan’s match against New Zealand.

This unfortunate twist of fate prevented the opening batsman from playing the rest of the tournament, and it now appears to have left its mark on his position in the national team for the series against New Zealand.

Despite his absence from the team, Fakhar Zaman is likely to return to competitive cricket during the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which will start on April 11, 2025. The PSL will be his stage for getting back into match fitness and form, with the hope that he will be ready for upcoming international assignments once the league is over.

Saim Ayub’s Injury Setback

The other prominent absentee from the team is young opener Saim Ayub, who is also missing out on selection for the T20I and ODI teams.

Saim had been in the news with his performances but was out of action because of an injury he suffered during a Test match against South Africa. The injury kept him out of action on the international circuit for a while, which kept him from playing in the coming New Zealand series.

As was the case with Fakhar, Saim Ayub is likely to be back in action when the next installment of the Pakistan Super League in April 2025 comes around. His presence in the PSL will give him a chance to get his form and fitness back, putting him in the running for his return to the national team for the upcoming series.

 PCB’s New Leadership for T20Is

In a change of direction for Pakistan’s white-ball cricket, the PCB has appointed Salman Ali Agha as the new T20I captain for the series against New Zealand. Shadab Khan will be the deputy to Salman, something that comes after a series of subpar performances over the past few months.

The left-out stalwarts Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam from the T20I team have contributed to the feeling of transition in Pakistan’s T20 team, marking the dawn of a new era for the format.

Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub not being included in the T20I and ODI teams against New Zealand are due to unfortunate injuries that have ruled out both players temporarily. Yet with both slated to return to the Pakistan Super League, they will likely reclaim a spot in the national team as soon as they return to top condition.

While Pakistan prepares to host their coming series against New Zealand, these absences are part of the larger team shuffle and change in leadership in building a deeper and more competitive side in white-ball cricket as per the vision of the PCB.

ALSO READ: RCB Stars’ Group Stage Performance in ICC Champions Trophy 2025