NAPIER: Pakistan captain Babar Azam and opener Imam-ul-Haq were on Monday ruled out of the upcoming first Test against New Zealand with thumb injuries, prompting the tour selection committee to include rookie Imran Butt in the 17-member squad.
The Boxing Day Test is scheduled to be played in Mount Maunganui from December 26-30.
While Babar has fractured his right thumb, Imam has injured his left thumb during training sessions in Queenstown last week.
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board, both the batsmen are yet to return to the nets and the team’s medical staff was closely monitoring their progress.
“Decision on their participation in the second Test, which commences in Christchurch on 3 January, will be made closer to the time,” the PCB said.
In Babar’s absence, wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan will lead Pakistan in the first Test and will become his country’s 33rd Test captain.
The duo’s absence proved to be lucky for prolific domestic run-scorer Butt, who is expected to make his Test debut on Saturday.
Balochistan’s 24-year-old Butt scored 191 runs in three four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches before joining the New Zealand-bound tour party.
He had topped the batting charts in the 2019-20 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy with 934 runs at an average of over 62 and four centuries.
Also returning to the Pakistan Test side are Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan and Yasir Shah. —PTI

Press Trust of India