The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday announced that all-rounder Shadab Khan has been ruled out of the ongoing tour of New Zealand and will miss the upcoming South Africa series at home. Khan was diagnosed with a high-grade injury to his left thigh sustained during the team’s four-wicket victory in the third T20 at Napier.

Shadab was already set to miss the first of the two test matches, Pakistan are scheduled to play against New Zealand. But according to PCB, the 22-year-old will require at least a six week rehabilitation before returning to any kind of cricketing action.

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

The leg-spinner leads Pakistan in the T20 series against the Kiwis, which the visitors lost 2-1. He neither could score a run nor dismiss a batsman during Pakistan’s victory run in the final game. Shadab didn’t participate in the white-ball series at home against Zimbabwe last month owing to a groin injury.

After staying recovery ahead of the New Zealand tour, Shadab saw his injury go worse at Christchurch but was still included in the team to fill regular skipper Babar Azam’s boots.

Along with Shadab Khan, the Pakistani test side also holds spots vacated by Babar Azam–who is out with a fracture– and Imam-ul-Haq. While Imam is set to make a return in the home run, starting with a test series against Faf du Plessis’ South Africa, Shadab Khan will not be seen in the whites. Zafar Gohar 25, was called as the replacement for Shadab Khan.