Babar Azam out of first NZ Test, Mohammad Rizwan to become Pakistan's 33rd Test captain

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has been ruled out of their first Test line-up against New Zealand. The cricketer sustained a thumb injury during a training session and is yet to recover from the same. Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan’s vice-captain, will be leading his national side in Babar Azam’s absence.

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New Zealand vs Pakistan 2020: Babar Azam set to miss 1st Test after three T20Is

Babar Azam sustained the injury on December 13, thus prompting the Pakistan team management to rule him out of the three-match T20I series against the hosts. Under the leadership of Shadab Khan, the ‘Men in Green’ lost the first two T20Is by five and nine wickets respectively to concede the series with a game to spare. The third T20I will now be played at Napier’s McLean Park on Tuesday, December 22.

Speaking on Babar Azam’s injury, Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq told reporters that he is “confident and optimistic” about other players rising to the occasion in the first Test, thus referring to a possible inclusion of the uncapped Imran Butt in the playing XI. The 24-year-old is part of the expanded Test squad and he was the top run-getter in Pakistan’s 2019-20 first-class competition.

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Pakistan squad for New Zealand 2020

A look into Pakistan squad for third T20I

Rohail Nazir (capt & wk), Abdullah Shafiq, Amad Butt, Danish Aziz, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Musa Khan, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz, Zafar Gohar and Zeeshan Malik.

A look into Pakistan squad for first Test

Mohammad Rizwan (capt), Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan and Yasir Shah.

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New Zealand vs Pakistan schedule

Here is a look at the entire New Zealand vs Pakistan schedule for the ongoing tour.

New Zealand vs Pakistan 2020 schedule for three-match T20I series:

New Zealand vs Pakistan 2020 first T20I: December 18 at Eden Park, Auckland

New Zealand vs Pakistan 2020 second T20I: December 20 at Seddon Park, Hamilton

New Zealand vs Pakistan 2020 third T20I: December 22 at McLean Park, Napier

New Zealand vs Pakistan 2020 schedule for two-match Test series:

New Zealand vs Pakistan 2020 first Test: December 26-30 at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui

New Zealand vs Pakistan 2020 second Test: January 3-7 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch

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Image source: AP