Boost for Peshawar Zalmi as Saim Ayub returns to full fitness

More than three months after an awkward trip on the edge of a boundary rope in Cape Town, Saim Ayub has returned to full fitness. He will be available to his PSL franchise Peshawar Zalmi from the outset of the tournament.

Ayub was injured on the first day of the second Test during Pakistan's series in South Africa when he raced back towards third man to cut off a boundary. Aamer Jamal pulled it back in as Ayub stood poised to be the relay fielder, but lost his balance and twisted his ankle. He went down immediately and appeared in anguish holding the lower part of his leg as the physio came on. Despite prolonged treatment outside the boundary line, Ayub was unable to put any weight on his right ankle, and appeared to be in tears as he was placed on to a stretcher and taken off. He was later seen on crutches in the medical booth.

Ayub, who was at the time arguably Pakistan's most in-form player, would later be ruled out of the Champions Trophy. His recovery timeline kept being readjusted upwards; initially the PCB estimated he'd be out for six weeks, which would have put him in with a shot of playing the Champions Trophy. It was later announced he'd only become fully fit partway through Pakistan's recently concluded tour of New Zealand, but he ended up missing that whole tour as well.

Ayub's return is a major boost for Zalmi, with the opener among the franchise's most consistent performers over the past two seasons. He was the fifth highest scorer in the league last year, and the seventh highest the year prior. Zalmi's first match takes place on Saturday when they take on Quetta Gladiators.