Pakistan suffered a major setback ahead of the opening Test against Bangladesh as star batter Babar Azam was ruled out with a left knee injury. The first Test begins Friday in Mirpur, while the Pakistan team management confirmed that his condition is currently being monitored by the medical panel.
Babar had arrived in Bangladesh just after leading Peshawar Zalmi to the PSL 2026 title. He was also the tournament’s highest run-scorer, signaling a strong return to form before the injury setback. Although he trained normally for two days after arriving on Monday, he reportedly woke up with pain in his left knee on Thursday morning, forcing the team to withdraw him from the opening Test.
The Pakistan camp has not yet confirmed whether Babar will miss the entire series. His absence creates a major gap in Pakistan’s middle order, especially considering he has remained a regular member of the Test side for nearly a decade. This will also be the first away Test that Babar misses since January 2021.
Pakistan may now rely on inexperienced options in the batting lineup, with uncapped players like Azam Awais or Abdullah Fazal potentially getting opportunities. The team could also reshuffle the order by promoting Mohammad Rizwan or Saud Shakeel higher up the batting lineup.
The Bangladesh series is Pakistan’s first away assignment in the current World Test Championship cycle. Pakistan previously drew attention after losing 2-0 to Bangladesh in their last Test series meeting at home.
