PCB announces replacement for the injured Shadab.
Pakistan has suffered another major blow as the injury list of the touring party continues to climb with the latest victim being their star all-rounder Shadab Khan. Khan has been ruled out of the first Boxing Day Test against New Zealand with a thigh injury on Wednesday (December 23).
Shadab suffered the injury after Pakistan’s four-wicket win in the third and final T20I against the Black Caps on Tuesday in Napier. He has now joined Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq on the sideline as the players who will not available for the first Test of the two-Test series against New Zealand.
Announcing the blow, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named the uncapped left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar as Shadab’s replacement for the Boxing Day Test starting December 26 at Bay Oval.
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Gohar – who was the third most successful bowler with 38 wickets in the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in the 2019-20 season. He had taken five four-wicket hauls and one five-for Central Punjab in the tournament.
In 39 first-class games, Gohar has managed 144 wickets, including six five-wicket hauls in an innings and two ten-wicket match hauls. He has joined the 15-member Pakistan Test squad from the Pakistan A team currently in Hamilton.
The PCB said in a statement on Wednesday: “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 official statement further reads: “Zafar has joined the Test side from Hamilton where he was preparing with the Pakistan Shaheens for Sunday's T20 match against the Northern Knights.”
Pakistan Test Squad:
Mohammad Rizwan (captain for 1st Test), 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.
(With Reuters/Cricbuzz Inputs)