Pakistan Suffer Major Blow as Star Batter Babar Azam Misses Mirpur Test Against Bangladesh

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Pakistan have been dealt a significant setback ahead of the opening Test against Bangladesh after star batter Babar Azam was ruled out due to a left knee injury. The first Test is scheduled to begin on Friday in Mirpur.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that Babar will not take part in the opening Test, although the board stopped short of ruling him out of the entire series. According to the team management, his recovery is currently being monitored closely by Pakistan’s medical panel.

Babar’s absence comes at a difficult time for Pakistan, especially after the former captain returned to impressive form in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL). Representing Peshawar Zalmi, Babar finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer and guided his side to the PSL title after an outstanding campaign in which the team lost only once.

The right-hander joined the Pakistan squad in Bangladesh on Monday, only hours after lifting the PSL trophy. He participated in training sessions over the next two days without showing any visible discomfort. However, on Thursday morning, Babar reportedly woke up with pain in his left knee, prompting the medical staff to withdraw him from contention for the series opener.

Over the past decade, Babar has been one of Pakistan’s most dependable Test batters and a permanent fixture in the playing XI. Although he was briefly dropped during the home Test series against England in late 2024, he quickly regained his place in the side. Notably, this will be the first away Test match Babar has missed since January 2021.

His injury leaves Pakistan with a major selection dilemma in the middle order. The likely top-order combination includes Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, and one of Azam Awais or Abdullah Fazal, both of whom are yet to make their Test debut for Pakistan. Team management could now push either Mohammad Rizwan or Saud Shakeel higher up the batting order, while seam-bowling allrounder Amad Butt may also come into consideration to strengthen the lower middle order.

The Bangladesh series marks Pakistan’s first away assignment in the current World Test Championship cycle. Pakistan previously played a two-match home Test series against South Africa, winning one Test and losing the other. Their last Test encounter against Bangladesh ended in disappointment, as Pakistan suffered a shocking 2-0 whitewash on home soil.