Pakistan has suffered a major setback in the Champions Trophy 2025 as opener Fakhar Zaman has been ruled out of the tournament. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Thursday that the left-hander sustained an oblique tear while fielding during Pakistan’s opening match against New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi on February 19. The injury occurred in the first over of the game when Fakhar sprinted in an attempt to save a boundary off a shot from Will Young. Although he managed to prevent the ball from reaching the rope, he landed awkwardly, immediately wincing in pain. The team’s medical staff rushed to assess him, and he had to leave the field for further evaluation. Despite the discomfort, Fakhar later came out to bat but was visibly struggling. He did not open the innings as usual and instead batted at No. 4, managing only 24 runs off 41 balls. His movement between the wickets was restricted, and he lacked his usual fluency. After further scans, the extent of his injury became clear, ruling him out of the remainder of the tournament. Read also: Axar Patel's Missed Hattrick: Rohit Sharma Drops Crucial Catch Imam-ul-Haq Named Replacement as Pakistan Face Crucial Games With Fakhar unavailable, Pakistan has called up Imam-ul-Haq as his replacement. Imam, an experienced top-order batter, has an impressive ODI record with 3,138 runs in 72 matches at an average of 48.27. His last ODI appearance was in October 2023 against South Africa during the World Cup. Pakistan, already under pressure after a heavy 60-run defeat to New Zealand, now face an uphill battle in the tournament. Their next game is a high-voltage clash against India in Dubai on February 23. Babar Azam and his men will need to regroup quickly, especially after their bowling attack struggled against New Zealand, with Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf going for plenty. With Fakhar out, Pakistan will rely on Imam to provide stability at the top and keep their title hopes alive. Pakistan's updated squad for Champions Trophy 2025: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi