Pakistan Faces Injury Worry as Saim Ayub is Taken Off on Stretcher in 2nd Test Against South Africa

Cape Town, Jan 3 (NationPress) Pakistan experienced a troubling injury incident at the onset of the second Test match against South Africa in Cape Town on Friday, as opener Saim Ayub was taken off the field on a stretcher due to an ankle injury.

The extent of Ayub's injury is still uncertain, but he has been transported to the hospital for further examination. On the field, he struggled to put any weight on his right ankle and appeared to be in considerable pain, even breaking down in tears after the unfortunate event.

The injury took place in the seventh over when Ryan Rickelton edged a ball through the slips, prompting Ayub to sprint towards it at deep third along with Aamer Jamal. As Jamal retrieved the ball, Ayub, acting as the relay fielder, lost his footing and twisted his ankle. He immediately fell to the ground, gripping his lower leg in agony as the physio rushed to his aid.

After extensive treatment near the boundary, Ayub was carried off the field, casting a shadow over Pakistan’s performance. The situation worsened shortly after when Ayub’s substitute, Abdullah Shafique, dropped a simple catch at cover meant to dismiss Aiden Markram. Thankfully, Markram was dismissed by Khurram Shahzad just two overs later, but the celebrations were muted, highlighting the significance of Ayub's absence.

The loss of Ayub is a major setback for Pakistan. A rising star in recent months, he was named Player of the Series in Pakistan's 3-0 ODI victory over South Africa last month, scoring two centuries in three games. As one of Pakistan's few regulars across all formats, Ayub is a vital player, especially with the Champions Trophy approaching in February.

Earlier, Temba Bavuma won the toss and chose to bat first, with the hosts leading the series 1-0 and already securing a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final after a thrilling two-wicket victory in Centurion.