Babar Azam Out Of England Test With Finger Injury

Pakistan cricket captain Babar Azam has been ruled out of the first Test against England due to a right-hand injury. The injury occurred to the middle finger of his right hand during a warm-up game against the Professional County Club Select XI in Beckenham.

Babar had already been recovering from an earlier injury to the same hand, which he suffered during the second Test against the West Indies. Despite returning to training on Monday, the Pakistan Cricket Board's medical team advised him to rest, and the team management has now confirmed that he will miss the match.

Salman Ali Agha will take charge of the team in Babar's absence, leading Pakistan in a Test match for the first time. Agha has previously captained the team in ODIs and T20Is. The absence of Babar is a significant blow for Pakistan ahead of the England Test, which is scheduled to start on August 19 at Headingley.

Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed confirmed Babar's unavailability and announced that Agha would lead the side in the match. The team management had been waiting to see how Babar's injury would heal before making a decision on his availability. However, it has now been confirmed that he will not be able to play in the first Test.

The series schedule includes three Tests, with the first match starting on August 19 at Headingley, followed by the second Test at Lord's from August 27-31, and the third Test at Edgbaston from September 9-13. Babar's injury is a significant setback for Pakistan, and the team will be looking to Salman Agha to lead them to victory in his absence.

The Pakistan squad for the England Test includes Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, and Ubaid Shah. The team will be looking to put in a strong performance despite Babar's absence.

The injury to Babar Azam is a major blow for Pakistan, but the team will be looking to bounce back under the leadership of Salman Agha. The first Test against England is just the start of a challenging series, and Pakistan will need to be at their best if they are to come out on top.

In conclusion, the absence of Babar Azam due to a finger injury is a significant setback for Pakistan ahead of the first Test against England. However, with Salman Agha taking charge, the team will be looking to put in a strong performance and make a positive start to the series.