Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam ruled out of Pakistan’s squad due to injuries. They did not play Pakistan’s first test against New Zealand. Mohammad Rizwan will captain the side in Babar’s Adsense, He was going to become the 33rd Test Caption of Pakistan.
Imam had fractured his left thumb and Babar has fractured his right thumb last week during training. Both of the players currently monitors by the Team’s Medical Staff, Officials yet need to make a decision on their participation in the second test which is going to start on 3 January.
Pakistan’s Cricket Selection committee has name Imran Butt in the 17 man test squad for the two tests. He might be the replacement for Babar Azam Currently he is the best performing player in last year’s tournament.
“”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.””
Pakistan squad for Tests: Mohammad Rizwan (captain for 1st Test), 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, and Yasir Shah. (Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq not available for the first Test)