Pakistani batter Abdullah Fazal has been ruled out of today’s Test series against West Indies and the following series against England after suffering a lower back injury during training.
The 23-year-old left-hander got hurt during a Pakistan training session at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad, the venue for the first Test. Following an MRI scan and a clinical assessment, the team’s medical panel confirmed that Fazal will need a period of rehabilitation and cannot take part in either series.
The setback comes at a difficult time for Fazal, who had built strong momentum ahead of the tour.
During Pakistan’s four-day warm-up match against a West Indies Select XI, he remained unbeaten in both innings, scoring 50 and 48. He made his Test debut earlier this year during Pakistan’s series against Bangladesh, where he scored 141 runs across two matches at an average of 35.25, including two half-centuries.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam offered support to the injured batter. “I wish Abdullah good luck and hope he recovers well,” he said. “The kind of talent he is, I it found very inspiring. He was very confident after his first series and his morale was very high.”
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet named a replacement for Fazal, though reports suggest Imam-ul-Haq is likely to take his place at the top of the order.
Fazal’s absence also opens the door for middle-order batter Awais Zafar to make his Test debut.
The two-match series gets underway on July 25 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, with the second Test scheduled from August 2 to 6 at the Queen’s Park Oval. Pakistan will then travel to England for a three-Test series starting in August.
