PAKISTAN – All-rounder Shadab Khan has been ruled out of opening test against New Zealand. Shadab, who sustained an injury, is the third player to be removed from the team, said the country’s cricket board on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old spin bowling all-rounder sustained a thigh injury during Tuesday’s final Twenty20 match in Napier. “Shadab will now undergo MRI scans in Tauranga on Thursday, following which a further update on the exact nature of the injury and time needed to return to competitive cricket will be provided,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.
The team will be playing at the Boxing Day test scheduled at Mount Maunganui from Dec. 26. without skipper Babar Azam and opener Imam-Ul-Haq as well, both nursing thumb injuries.
Currently uncapped left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar has joined the team from the Pakistan A team.
The second and final test is scheduled in Christchurch from Jan. 3.
Pakistan squad for first test: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah and Zafar Gohar.
