Pakistan vs Australia: Injured Mohammad Nawaz ruled out of upcoming Test series

Karachi: Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has been ruled out of next month’s much-anticipated three-match Test series against Australia due to a foot injury.

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday confirmed Nawaz’s unavailability and said only wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed and fast bowler Naseem Shah would be the travelling reserves.

Australia are scheduled to tour Pakistan after 24 years for three Tests, three ODIs, and one T20I. The first Test will be played in Rawalpindi from 4 March.

The PCB said four other reserves including Yasir Shah, Kamran Ghulam, Muhammad Abbas and Mohammad Haris have been added to the squad but they will be appearing in the national One-Day Cup from 2 March and will be called upon if required.

Yasir, who last played in the West Indies last year, has been struggling with fitness issues in recent months but according to reports he has been bowling well in the training camp of the Test players in Karachi.

But the selectors have opted to keep uncapped leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood, off-spinner Sajid Khan and southpaw Nauman Ali in the playing squad.

The Australian Test squad will reach Islamabad on Sunday via a chartered flight and after a brief isolation period, will start their preparation for the Test series.

The media manager of the Australian squad Brian Murgatroyd has already reached Rawalpindi with the security officials of the touring squad.

Australia are touring Pakistan after 1998, although in 2005 and 2007, their ‘A’ teams toured Pakistan.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Zahid Mahmood.