Pakistan have suffered a major blow ahead of the opening Test against England, with captain Babar Azam ruled out after sustaining a hand injury during a practice game.
Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed confirmed that Salman Ali Agha will lead Pakistan in the first Test, while Shan Masood has recovered fully and is available for selection.
Babar picked up the injury while batting on the second day of Pakistan’s three-day warm-up fixture against Kent County Cricket Club. A delivery struck his right hand. Following the medical examination, Babar was advised not to continue in the practice match as a precaution.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had previously planned for Babar to take part in the team’s training session at Headingley Cricket Ground on August 17. However, the injury has now ruled him out of the series opener.
Babar’s absence is a significant setback for Pakistan, with the experienced batter playing a key role in the team’s batting order. Salman will now have the added responsibility of captaining the side in the important clash against England.
Pakistan are continuing preparations for the Test series and are expected to finalise their playing XI before the opening match.
