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Pakistan is hosting New Zealand in the five-match T20I series . While the hosts stand 1-0 in the series after they won the second T20I on Saturday, April 20 in Rawalpindi. But ahead of the third T20I, the Babar Azam-led side were handed a major blow with their wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan being ruled out the series due to an injury.
Khan has left the Pakistan camp midway through the series after he suffered a grade-one tear in his right calf muscle. Moreover, the scans confirmed the injury to the 25-year-old and has been advised ten days rest. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also shared an update on Azam Khan’s injury and said that he will join the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.
The board also stated that his injury was noticed for the first time during the pre-match training ahead of the first T20I in Rawalpindi, but the match was washed out after just a couple of deliveries. “Azam will now depart from Pakistan men’s cricket team and report to the National Cricket Academy, where he will commence his rehabilitation process under the supervision of the PCB medical panel,” the PCB’s statement read.
The 25-year-old, who now remains out of the remainder of T20I series, was seen in fine form at the PL 2024. In 12 innings, Azam Khan scored 226 runs at the trike rate of 170. Speaking of the series, the Babar Azam-led Pakistan will take on Michael Bracewell-led New Zealand in the third T20I at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Sunday, April 21.
Pakistan’s squad for T20I series vs NZ:
Babar Azam (C), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Usman Khan, Irfan Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Imad Wasim, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Zaman Khan.
