Pakistan suffered an injury scare at the start of the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town on Friday after opener Saim Ayub was stretchered off following injuring his ankle. The severity of Ayub's injury remains unclear, but he has been taken to the hospital for treatment. On the field, he was unable to bear weight on his right ankle and appeared visibly distressed, even shedding tears after the incident. The injury occurred in the seventh over when Ryan Rickelton edged a ball through the slips, prompting Ayub to chase it to deep third alongside Aamer Jamal. As Jamal pulled the ball back, Ayub, positioned as the relay fielder, lost his balance and twisted his ankle. He immediately went down, clutching his lower leg in pain as the physio rushed to assist.
After receiving prolonged treatment near the boundary, Ayub was stretchered off, casting a shadow over Pakistan's efforts. The situation worsened shortly after when Ayub's replacement, Abdullah Shafique, dropped a straightforward chance at cover to dismiss Aiden Markram. Fortunately, Markram was removed by Khurram Shahzad two overs later, but celebrations remained subdued, reflecting the impact of Ayub's absence.
Ayub's loss is a significant blow to Pakistan. A breakout star in recent months, he was Player of the Series in Pakistan's 3-0 ODI triumph over South Africa last month, scoring two centuries in three matches. As one of Pakistan's few all-format regulars, Ayub is a key player, particularly with the Champions Trophy just weeks away in February.
Earlier, Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bat first as the hosts lead the series 1-0 and have already booked a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final after securing a thrilling two-wicket win in Centurion.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)