NZ vs Pak: Babar Azam to miss 2nd Test, Rizwan to lead visitors
Jan 02, 2021
Christchurch [New Zealand], January 2 : Pakistan skipper Babar Azam will miss the second Test against New Zealand, which commences at the Hagley Oval from Sunday.
In Babar's absence, Mohammad Rizwan, who captained Pakistan in the first Test, will continue to lead the side.
Babar had a full-fledged training session on Friday, but felt a slight pain in his thumb, following which, the team management has opted against taking any risk.
Babar had to sit out the three-T20I series and the first Test, at Mount Maunganui, after he fractured his right thumb during a net session in the lead-up to the white-ball series.
"We have seen improvement in Babar Azam's injury but he is yet to fully recover. He is our captain and the most important batsman in the lineup, so we do not want to take any risk," the team doctor said in a release issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
"The medical team is constantly reviewing his injury and we are hopeful he will be available for the home series against South Africa," he added.
In the first Test, Fawad Alam's second ton and Mohammad Rizwan's fifth half-century went in vain as New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 101 runs.
Day five of the first Test was an emotional joy ride. With Fawad and Pakistan skipper Rizwan weathering the storm in the first two sessions, it almost looked like the game will be drawn as the duo stitched the eighth-longest fourth-innings partnership of all time.
However, New Zealand pacers denied visitors a draw as Pakistan lost all six wickets in the concluding session of the match.
Pakistan squad for the second Test against New Zealand: Mohammad Rizwan (captain, wicketkeeper), Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah, and Zafar Gohar
