T20 World Cup: Mohammed Haris Replaces Injured Fakhar Zaman Ahead Of PAK vs SA

New Delhi: Star Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman has been ruled out of the ongoing T20 World Cup after aggravating a pre-existing knee injury during the match against Netherlands. Mohammed Haris has been named Zaman’s replacement for the remaining tournament. This comes as a huge setback for Pakistan side as they prepare to face South Africa in a do-or-die encounter.

Haris, who can also bowl off spin and keep wicket, was approved as a replacement by the event’s technical committee after Zaman was ruled out of the tournament with posterior cruciate ligament damage in his right knee.

The 21-year-old Haris has only played one previous T20 international, against England in Lahore in September.

He made seven runs opening the batting alongside captain Babar Azam and kept wicket as England cruised to an eight-wicket victory inside 15 overs.

Middle-order batsman Zaman was not originally part of Pakistan’s 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup because of his knee problems and came in as a risky late replacement for legspinner Usman Qadir.

Fakhar missed the defeats against India and Zimbabwe before returning against the Netherlands in Perth on Sunday where he made 20 off 16 balls but aggravated his knee injury.

Haris has made four one-day international appearances for Pakistan, with a top score of six against the West Indies in Multan in June this year.

Inputs from AFP