The diagnosis rules him out of Pakistan’s two Test matches against the West Indies later this month, as well as a tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand at home in February. It also means he is in a race against time to be fit for the Champions Trophy, which begins in Karachi in just over six weeks.
The PCB said an MRI scan carried out on Friday “confirmed the fracture, which has been immobilized in an ankle medical moon boot”. Ayub will remain with the team until the end of the Test.
Ayub had to be stretchered off in just the seventh over of the match when Ryan Rickelton got a delivery through the sails, sending Ayub chasing deep third with Aamer Jamal. Jamal pulled it back in as Ayub stood ready to be the relay player but lost his balance and twisted his ankle. He went down immediately and appeared anxiously holding the lower part of his leg as the physio hurried on.
Despite prolonged treatment outside the boundary line, 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 off. He was later seen on crutches in the doctor’s boot.
In the last few months, Ayub has established himself as a star in all formats for Pakistan, playing crucial roles in ODI series wins away in Australia, Zimbabwe as well as here in South Africa, where two hundreds in three matches saw him named Player of the series.
