Pakistan have been dealt a major injury blow on the eve of the first Test against England with captain Babar Azam ruled out.
Babar suffered a blow to his right hand while batting in a warm-up game at Beckenham last week, having also been struck during the second Test against the West Indies earlier in August.
The batter has been unable to shake off the injury to feature at Headingley, with Salman Agha set to lead Pakistan in Test cricket for the first time in his stead.
Babar was only reinstalled as skipper ahead of that West Indies series having struggled with the bat under the leadership of Shan Masood.
Agha has led Pakistan in T20 cricket since 2024. The 32-year-old has appeared in 27 Tests, with head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed confirming that he will captain the side on Tuesday. It is hoped that Babar may be fit for the second Test at Lord’s next week.
Middle-order batter Saud Shakeel is in line to return to the Pakistan XI having missed both Tests in the West Indies. Awais Zafar made his debut in the second of those games in Trinidad and may retain his place, though Masood is also primed to return from injury.
Pakistan sit second from bottom in the World Test Championship table, a place behind England.
