The national selection committee has confirmed wicketkeeper/batter Haseebullah as the replacement player for Azam Khan, who was sidelined from the T20I series against New Zealand due to a tear in his right calf muscle.
As per PCB's press-release, Haseebullah will join the Pakistan side after tonight’s third T20I and will be available for selection in the remaining two T20Is scheduled to be played in Lahore on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.
Remember, Azam had undergone a radiology test which confirmed that he had suffered a Grade One tear in his right calf muscle after which he was advised to rest for 10 days.
“Azam Khan has been advised to undergo a 10-day rest following radiology reports confirming a Grade One tear of his right calf muscle. Consequently, Azam will be unable to participate in the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand, which culminates in Lahore on April 27,” the PCB said in a press release.
“Azam will now depart from the Pakistan men’s cricket team and report to the National Cricket Academy, where he will commence his rehabilitation process under the supervision of the PCB medical panel.
“The discomfort in Azam's right calf was first noticed during batting practice in the pre-first T20I training session at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.”
It must be noted that Pakistan beat New Zealand by three wickets in the second T20I. The third game of the series is currently underway in Rawalpindi.
Both sides will move to Lahore, where they will play the remaining two T20Is of the series on 25 and 27 April, respectively.
The series is being broadcast live on Pakistan’s first sports channel Geo Super.
Pakistan squad
Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Irfan Khan Niazi, Usama Mir, Zaman Khan
Reserves: Haseebullah, Mohammad Ali, Agha Salman, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Wasim Jr.
New Zealand squad
Michael Bracewell (c), Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert (WK), Ish Sodhi, Tom Blundell, Zak Foulkes.
Pakistan vs New Zealand T20I series schedule
April 18 — 1st T20I, Rawalpindi
April 20 — 2nd T20I, Rawalpindi
April 21 — 3rd T20I, Rawalpindi
April 25 — 4th T20I, Lahore
April 27 — 5th T20I, Lahore
- Azam Khan
