Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq have been ruled out of the first Test against New Zealand, starting December 26 in Mount Maunganui as the duo is yet to recover from their respective thumb injuries. In Azam’s absence, vice-captain Mohammad Rizwan will lead the side.
Meanwhile, Pakistan included uncapped 24-year-old Imran Butt in the 17-member squad. Butt was the top run-scorer in the 2019-20 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy with 934 runs at an average of over 62. Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan and Yasir Shah also returned to the side.
“Although it will be nearly two weeks to Babar’s injury when the first Test starts, it will be hard on him and the team to play him without any net sessions,” head coach Misbah-ul-Haq said in a statement on Monday. “I remain confident and optimistic that other players will rise to the occasion in Mount Maunganui and use the opportunity to rise to the occasion and put the disappointment of the T20I series behind them.”
Azam had fractured his right thumb a day after Imam had fractured his left thumb in training sessions in Queenstown last week. They have both not returned to the nets since then and a decision on their participation in the second Test, starting January in Christchurch, will be taken later.
Pakistan also confirmed the 15-member Shaheens squad that will play five T20s against the local and New Zealand XI sides.
Pakistan squad for first Test: Mohammad Rizwan (capt), Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah.
Pakistan Shaheens for T20s: Rohail Nazir (capt & wk), Abdullah Shafiq, Amad Butt, Danish Aziz, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Musa Khan, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz, Zafar Gohar, Zeeshan Malik.
More to follow…
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