Hamstring injury puts Mohammad Rizwan in doubt for remainder of T20I series against New Zealand

Lahore [Pakistan], April 23 (ANI): The Pakistan team suffered a major blow in their ongoing T20I series against New Zealand as star batter Mohammad Rizwan's availability for the remaining two games is in doubt after he suffered a hamstring injury in the third game, according to Geo News.

In his record-breaking game in the third T20I on Sunday, Rizwan had to retire hurt after scoring 22 off 21 deliveries which saw him surpass Babar Azam and India's stalwart batter Virat Kohli to become the fastest player to complete 3,000 T20I runs.

The right-handed batter took 92 matches and 79 innings to reach the 3000-plus run mark. Meanwhile, Kohli took 87 matches and 81 innings. Rizwan made his T20I debut against Bangladesh in 2015 and has featured in 93 matches and amassed 3,048 runs at a strike rate of 127.42.

The team management will decide on Rizwan's availability before the fourth T2OI which will take place on Thursday in Lahore after he goes through scans on Tuesday.

Rizwan is not the only player who has sustained an injury in the ongoing series. Last week, Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan was advised to rest for 10 days after radiological results confirmed a Grade One tear in his right calf muscle.

Azam left the Pakistan men's cricket squad and went to the National Cricket Academy, where he will begin his recovery under the care of the PCB medical panel, as per the statement by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The soreness in Azam's right calf was first felt during batting practice at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium ahead of the first T20I.

The series is level at 1-1 after the first game was washed out due to rain. Pakistan registered an emphatic 7-wicket win in the second T20I.

Twenty four hours later, New Zealand turned the tides following Mark Chapman's 87* which sealed a 7-wicket win for the visitors. (ANI)