Star batter Babar Azam has been ruled out of Pakistan’s first Test match against Bangladesh due to a left knee injury.
In a statement on Thursday, the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed that the right-hander will miss the first Test of the series, which is set to begin on May 8 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.
The board added that the team’s medical staff is closely monitoring Babar’s condition, while further details regarding his recovery will be provided later.
His absence comes as a significant blow for Pakistan, especially considering his outstanding recent form. The former captain emerged as the top run-scorer in Pakistan Super League Season 11 after amassing 588 runs in 11 innings at an average of 73.02 and a strike rate of 145.90, including two centuries and three half-centuries.
Babar had also produced a match-winning century against Islamabad United in the Qualifier, guiding Peshawar Zalmi into the final. Following that innings, he said he was beginning to feel close to his best again.
Pakistan squad:
Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi
