Islamabad [Pakistan], April 20 (ANI): Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan has been advised to rest for 10 days after radiological results confirmed a Grade One tear in his right calf muscle. As a result, Azam will be unable to participate in the present T20I series against New Zealand, which concludes in Lahore on April 27.
Azam will now leave the Pakistan men’s cricket squad and go to the National Cricket Academy, where he will begin his recovery under the care of the PCB medical panel, as per the statement by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The soreness in Azam’s right calf was first felt during batting practice at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium ahead of the first T20I.
Coming to the Men in Green squad, they are led by Babar Azam, who was recently reinstated as the skipper of the white ball format in place of Shaheen Afridi.
Star pacer Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim, who reversed their retirements, have made sensational comebacks in cricket after being named in Pakistan’s squad.
For the five-match series, former fast bowler Azhar Mahmood has been named as the head coach.
Meanwhile, Wahab Riaz has been named senior team manager, with Mohammad Yousuf as batting coach. Saeed Ajmal, who was the bowling coach on the last tours of Australia and New Zealand, will continue as the spin bowling coach.
Pakistan would be looking to take revenge for their 4-1 T20I series defeat away from home against the Blackcaps earlier this year.
Squads of both teams for the five-match T20I series:
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Niazi, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan, Usama Mir.
New Zealand: Michael Bracewell (c), Tom Blundell, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Zack Fowlkes, Jimmy Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi. (ANI)
