Just when Fakhar Zaman was eyeing a comeback to Pakistan’s T20I setup, a fresh hamstring injury has derailed his campaign once again, raising questions about his future in the national side.
The 35-year-old opener sustained a left hamstring strain while fielding during the 19th over of the second T20I against the West Indies. What initially appeared to be a minor discomfort turned serious after medical evaluation by the PCB's panel.
As a result, Fakhar has been ruled out of the third T20I and the upcoming three-match ODI series. He will return to Pakistan on August 4 and begin rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore.
Recent performances offer little reassurance
Even before the injury, Fakhar Zaman’s recent form was under scrutiny. In the T20I series against Bangladesh, he managed just 1, 44, and 8—figures far from reassuring for an opener trying to reclaim his spot.
His performances in the first two T20Is against the West Indies were slightly better, with scores of 28 and 20. However, he failed to convert promising starts into meaningful innings, further compounding concerns about his consistency.
Not the first injury in a crucial year
This marks the second significant injury Fakhar has suffered in 2025. Earlier, during the ICC Champions Trophy match against New Zealand, he picked up an oblique muscle strain. Despite managing 24 runs while visibly in pain, that appearance remained his only contribution in the tournament as he was ruled out of the remainder of the matches.
These recurring fitness issues, especially in a year filled with international cricket, put a question mark over Fakhar’s long-term place in the squad.
Rising competition makes comeback harder
At 35, Fakhar finds himself competing with a younger, hungrier generation of top-order batters.
Players like Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan have shown promise, consistently performing across domestic and international stages.
