KARACHI // Pakistan on Tuesday withdrew all-rounders Shoaib Malik and Abdul Razzaq from their limited-overs tour of South Africa after both suffered injuries.
The injuries are a blow to the visitors, who play the first of two Twenty20 internationals in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
The second T20 will be in Cape Town on Friday.
Pakistan will also play three one-day internationals on November 24, 27 and 30. The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed both players were returning home immediately.
“The decision was taken by the tour selection committee after consultation with the team’s doctor and a South African doctor,” it said in a statement.
Razzaq, 33, suffered a severe hamstring injury while training on Sunday, while Malik, 31, exacerbated a hand injury.
The tour selection committee has not asked for replacements, the board said. Malik injured his hand during the second Twenty20 in Dubai last Friday, in which Pakistan were defeated by six runs to lose the two-match series 2-0.
Malik managed to score 15 and 12 in the two matches in Dubai while Razzaq managed 10 and zero.
Misbah-ul-Haq, the ODI captain, and Asad Shafiq were scheduled to join the squad late Tuesday.
Sri Lanka v New Zealand T20 called off
The first Twenty20 international between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Pallekele on Tuesday was abandoned without a ball bowled due to rain.
The second Twenty20 is scheduled Thursday at the same venue.
All four matches of the tour – including three ODIs – have been affected by rain. The first ODI was abandoned and results of the second and third matches were decided by Duckworth-Lewis method.
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