Fakhar Zaman ruled out of New Zealand tour with fever

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman will miss the tour of New Zealand.

Team doctor Sohail Saleem said Zaman tested negative for the coronavirus on Saturday, but the left-handed batter developed a fever the following day.

“The decision to withdraw Zaman from the tour was made keeping the health of the rest of the squad members as a top priority,” the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement on Sunday.

The 30-year-old Zaman was isolated from the rest of the Pakistan squad in the team hotel and was declared not fit to travel with his teammates.

A regular for Pakistan in white-ball cricket, Zaman has played 47 ODI matches — with a 45-run average and a top score of 210 not out — and 40 Twenty20 games.

Pakistan is due to leave for New Zealand early Monday to play three Twenty20s and two test matches. The tour begins with the first T20 at Auckland's Eden Park on Dec. 18.

___

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports