Pakistan pace legend and current bowling coach Waqar Younis believes skipper Babar Azam's injury and ouster from the T20I series versus New Zealand is a "major setback" for the team. 

Babar, current world No.2 ranked T20I batsman, won't be available for the fixtures on December 18th, 20th and 22nd versus the hosts after fracturing his right thumb while practising on Sunday (December 13). 

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He will be going through a 12-day rehabilitation process and is also a doubtful starter for the Test series opener on the Boxing Day (December 26) in Mount Maunganui. 

"There is no doubt that Babar is one of the best players in the world now in any format. So it is a major setback for us. Other teams are scared of him," said Waqar during a virtual media conference with Pakistani journalists, as quoted by PTI. 

"It is unfortunate that it (injury) happened at the wrong time, just at the stroke of the series starting." 

Babar's absence will also mean Pakistan having to shuffle their batting order, with his intelligence in guiding the team from one end and batting deep into the innings missing. 

Waqar said injuries being a part and parcel of the game, his team will have to accept the reality and adjust accordingly. 

He admitted, though, that Babar's injury has only added to the problems for a Pakistani side hurting with limited pre-series training time up their sleeves after spending the entire 14-day quarantine period in their hotel rooms. The visitors had lost their training exemption after breaking COVID-19 protocols and giving multiple positive tests. 

"I know the circumstances are not normal for us due to Covid-19 and teams are facing problems on tours. But we all have got to deal with this and it is our job to get the best out of players," Waqar said.