Pakistan’s batter Babar Azam will miss the first Test match against Bangladesh due to a left knee injury. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed the news on May 7, just one day before the match was set to begin.
The opening fixture of the two-match series starts on May 8, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka. Babar sustained the injury during a training session and required an immediate medical assessment. Consequently, the national team must now navigate the start of their tour without their most prolific run-scorer.
Pakistan Star Faces Major Injury Blow in Dhaka
Babar Azam arrived on Monday and he was looking forward to the upcoming series in Bangladesh. He said he was specifically sore in his left knee after completing two days of full training with the squad.
Therefore, he left the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium early on Thursday to undergo an MRI scan. Following the scan, the medical team reviewed the results and determined that the right-handed batter could not play in the first Test.
The PCB issued an official statement regarding the situation to update the fans. They confirmed that the medical panel is currently assessing Babar’s condition to see how long he might be out. Furthermore, the board stated that they would share more updates on his recovery in due course. Meanwhile, the 31-year-old will remain under the close supervision of the team’s medical staff.
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Record-Breaking PSL Form Comes to a Sudden Halt
Recently, Babar Azam led Peshawar Zalmi to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 title on May 3. He finished the season as the highest run-scorer and received the award for the best captain. He scored 588 runs in 11 innings, tying the record for most runs in a PSL season.
He also had a good batting average of 73.02 and a strike rate of 145.90. He also became only the second player in the history of the league to score two centuries in the same edition. The numbers suggest Babar was back to his best just before the start of the international tour.
Impact on Pakistan’s Batting Line-up and Strategy
Babar Azam’s absence creates a large gap in the middle order that the team must now fill. Captain Shan Masood had previously expressed great confidence in Babar, hoping he would carry his PSL success into the Test arena. Since Babar has not scored a Test century since 2022, the team hoped this series would be his big comeback.
Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha must step up to take lead in the batting department. The team management might also be looking to give a debut to one of the younger players in the squad. Uncapped batters Abdullah Fazal and Azan Awais are the front-runners to replace Babar in the playing XI. Both players earned their place in the squad with brilliant performances in Pakistan’s domestic cricket.
Official Pakistan squad for the First Test includes: Shan Masood (Captain), Mohammad Rizwan (Wicket-keeper), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (Wicket-keeper), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan.
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Pakistan Seeks Revenge After 2024 Series Defeat
The upcoming series is very important for Pakistan because they have had a tough time against Bangladesh recently. The Pakistan Cricket team has struggled against Bangladesh recently. Bangladesh toured Pakistan in 2024 and achieved a historic 2-0 victory. It was Bangladesh’s first Test win over Pakistan.
Shan Masood was also the captain during that difficult series in 2024, He is now leading the side again and hopes to turn their fortunes around on away soil. However, losing his best batter just before the first match makes this task much harder. The first Test in Mirpur is a critical game, as the second Test will not take place until May 16 in Sylhet.
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