Lahore Qalandars were dealt a major blow on Sunday when skipper Mohammad Hafeez was ruled out of the fourth edition of the Pakistan Super League due to a thumb injury.

Hafeez missed portion of Saturday’s match against Karachi Kings after hurting his right thumb while attempting to stop a shot from Colin Ingram off his own bowling. He went off the field and AB de Villiers took over the captaincy duties.

During the toss ahead of Lahore’s clash with Peshawar Zalmi, replacement captain De Villiers confirmed Hafeez had been ruled out of this edition of PSL.

Hafeez’s injury will be a blow for Qalandars as he is not only their batsman but also a reliable off-spinner.

According to reports,  Hafeez could be out for anywhere from four to six weeks, putting question marks over his availability for the upcoming Australia series.