Lancashire have confirmed that Saqib Mahmood has been diagnosed with a recurrence of the back stress fracture that sidelined him for much of 2022.
Mahmood has only played five games this summer and, as revealed by ESPNcricinfo, was sent for a specialist consultation amid concerns he could miss the rest of the season.
No timeline has been put on his return and he will undergo rehabilitation under the guidance of Lancashire and the ECB, with whom he has an pace-bowling development contract.
Mahmood, 26, has been capped in all three formats for England, most recently playing in the ODI series in Bangladesh in March. He made his Test debut on the 2021-22 tour of the West Indies, but was diagnosed with a lumbar stress fracture shortly after returning from the Caribbean.
As well as being ruled out of action for Lancashire, Mahmood will also miss the Hundred, for which he was part of Oval Invincibles' squad. Surrey allrounder Tom Lawes is set to be brought in by Invincibles as an injury replacement.