LAHORE, Dec 13: England suffered a setback ahead of the third One-day International against Pakistan when their hard hitting middle order batsman Kevin Pietersen was ruled out on Tuesday because of rib cage injury.

“Pietersen is returning home on Tuesday evening due to a rib cage problem and would miss the remaining three one-day internationals against Pakistan,” England media manager James Evory said.

Pietersen, who starred in England’s Ashes win over Australia in September this year, played a brisk knock of 56 in England’s 42-run win in the first of five One-day Internationals in Lahore on Saturday.

“Scans taken after the first one-day match showed no fracture but demonstrated a stress lesion and despite passing a fitness test ahead of the second one-day match Kevin suffered intolerable pain throughout,” England doctor Peter Gregory said in a statement.

Gregory said an injury such as Pietersen’s normally required four to six weeks rest.

“It is expected that Kevin will make a full recovery in time for the tour to India in March next year,” he said.

Pietersen said he was disappointed to be leaving the tour with the one-day series level at 1-1.

“I was looking forward to a strong one-day series,” he said. “I hate missing matches and despite trying to play the first couple of one-day games the pain was just too great.

Stand-in captain Marcus Trescothick said Pietersen had struggled during the second one-dayer on Monday.

“His injury affected his batting and as the game went on today he was clearly hampered with it. It is not the ideal situation for us,” Trescothick said.

—Agencies