2 min readMay 8, 2026 12:16 PM IST
The opening Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan got underway in Mirpur on Friday, but star batter Babar Azam was missing from Pakistan’s playing XI. The former captain was ruled out on the eve of the match due to a left knee injury.
The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed the development in a statement on Thursday. “Batter Babar Azam will not be available for the first Test against Bangladesh due to a left knee injury. The team’s medical panel is currently assessing his condition. Further updates will be shared in due course,” the statement read.
The team management did not specify whether Babar would be ruled out of the entire series, adding only that his condition was being closely monitored.
Speaking after winning the toss and opting to bowl first, Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood said the decision to rule Babar out came late and the team could not afford to risk him. “Unfortunately, Babar is out. It’s a late call. We can’t take a risk with him, but we are excited about the two debutants,” Masood said.
Abdullah Fazal and Azan Awais made their Test debuts for the visitors.
Babar had arrived in Bangladesh on Monday, just hours after leading Peshawar Zalmi to the Pakistan Super League title. He trained with the squad for two days without any visible discomfort, but woke up with pain in his left knee on Thursday morning. The medical team subsequently decided to withdraw him from contention for the first Test.
The injury comes as a major setback for Pakistan, especially since Babar appeared to have found his form, however in the shorter format. He finished as the leading run-scorer in the recently concluded PSL, guiding Zalmi to the championship with just one loss along the way.
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This series marks Pakistan’s first away Test assignment in the current World Test Championship cycle. They have played two home Tests so far against South Africa, winning one and losing the other.
