Dec 26 (Reuters) – Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan will miss the ongoing test series in New Zealand, as well as the home series against South Africa beginning next month, due to a thigh injury, the team said on Saturday.

The 22-year-old spin bowling all-rounder sustained the injury during Tuesday’s final Twenty20 match in Napier and was initially ruled out of the opening test against New Zealand, which got underway at Mount Maunganui earlier on Saturday.

Scans showed he would be sidelined for several weeks.

“The MRI reports have confirmed it is a fresh injury and not the one that had sidelined him from the Zimbabwe series last month,” team doctor Sohail Saleem said in a statement.

“Shadab will undergo a six-week rehabilitation programme during which he will have weekly ultrasound scans.

“After the competition of the six-week period, the medical panel will access and evaluate the injury before making a call on Shadab’s return to competitive cricket.”

South Africa will tour Pakistan next month for the first time in 13 years to play two tests and three Twenty20 Internationals. (Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Peter Rutherford)

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