All-rounder Shadab Khan became the third Pakistan player to be ruled out of their opening test against New Zealand with injury, the country’s cricket board said yesterday.
The 22-year-old spin bowling all-rounder sustained a thigh injury during Tuesday’s final Twenty20 match in Napier.
Pakistan are already without skipper Babar Azam and opener Imam-Ul-Haq, both nursing thumb injuries, for the Boxing Day test scheduled at Mount Maunganui from Dec. 26.
“Shadab will now undergo MRI scans in Tauranga today, following which a further update on the exact nature of the injury and time needed to return to competitive cricket will be provided,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.
Uncapped left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar has joined the test squad from the Pakistan A team currently in Hamilton.
The second and final Test is scheduled in Christchurch from Jan. 3.
Pakistan squad for first Test: Mohamed Rizwan (captain), Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Butt, Mohamed Abbas, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah and Zafar Gohar. 


Enlgand exempt from Covid travel ban


The England team will be allowed to fly to Sri Lanka despite flights from Britain being suspended because of a new coronavirus strain, the island’s cricket authorities said yesterday.
England are due to arrive in Sri Lanka on January 3 for two Tests – played without spectators – in Galle starting on January 14.
Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive Ashley de Silva told AFP the visitors would be tested for coronavirus before departure and on arrival, and would also have to undergo quarantine for 10-days in a “bio-secure bubble”.
The team would travel to Sri Lanka on a chartered flight, he said.
“Our doctors have been talking to the England team’s doctors and they are quite satisfied with the arrangements,” de Silva said.
“Both teams are looking forward to the tournament.”
Sri Lankan civil aviation authorities suspended all direct flights from Britain on Tuesday. Anyone who had visited Britain in the previous two weeks was also barred from entry.
Sri Lanka has seen a recent spike in coronavirus cases, but has still officially recorded a relatively low 38,000 cases with 183 deaths.