TRINIDAD (The COW News Digital) In a major setback for Pakistan’s Test side, emerging opening batter Abdullah Fazal has been ruled out of the upcoming Test series against the West Indies and England following a lower back injury.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that the 23-year-old sustained the injury on Thursday during a training session at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad, the venue scheduled to host the opening Test match against the West Indies.
Following medical evaluations and MRI scans, the team’s medical panel advised Fazal to undergo a structured rehabilitation process. The board added that a final decision regarding a replacement player in the squad has not yet been finalized.
Fazal’s absence comes at an unfortunate juncture for the national team. The young opener made an impressive Test debut against Bangladesh in May, making an immediate impact by scoring half-centuries in both innings of his debut match. He continued his strong form during the recent warm-up fixture against the West Indies Select XI, remaining unbeaten in both innings with scores of 50 and 48, respectively.
In light of Fazal’s exclusion, top-order batter Imam-ul-Haq is expected to step back into the opening role. Meanwhile, the injury opens up opportunities in the middle order, significantly brightening the prospects for uncapped batter Owais Zafar to make his Test debut during the tour.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam expressed his warm wishes for Fazal’s swift recovery, praising the young cricketer’s talent and composure. Azam noted that losing a confident and promising player right before a crucial away series represents a considerable loss for the squad’s strategic plans.
The team management remains hopeful that Fazal will recover in time for subsequent international assignments following his complete rehabilitation program.
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