Leeds, August 18, 2026: Pakistan captain and star batter Babar Azam will miss the opening Test of the three-match series against England after sustaining a finger injury, head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed confirmed on Tuesday.
Salman Ali Agha will lead Pakistan in the first Test, which begins on Wednesday at Headingley in Leeds.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Sarfaraz said Babar was still being assessed by the team’s medical staff and was experiencing pain in the injured finger.
“He is feeling pain, and the medical team is assessing him. Hopefully, he will be available for the second Test,” Sarfaraz said.
Babar suffered the injury during Pakistan’s three-day practice match against the Professional County Club (PCC) Select XI in Beckenham last week.
The incident occurred on the final delivery of the 39th over when pacer Manny Lumsden bowled a sharp delivery that struck Babar on the finger. The batter immediately showed signs of discomfort, dropped his bat and received treatment from the medical staff before leaving the field.
He had scored five runs off 17 deliveries at the time.
The injury is the second recent blow to Babar’s hand. He was also struck on the hand during Pakistan’s Test series against the West Indies earlier this month.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) subsequently said its medical team had advised Babar, as a precautionary measure, to sit out the remainder of the practice match ahead of the England series.
Babar’s absence is a significant setback for Pakistan as the team prepares for its first Test series in England since 2020. The opening match will be played at Headingley from August 19 to 23.
The second Test is scheduled at Lord’s Cricket Ground from August 27 to 31, while the third and final Test will be played at Edgbaston in Birmingham from September 9 to 13.
Pakistan squad
Pakistan’s squad for the England Test series comprises Aamir Jamal, Ali Usman, Abdullah Shafique, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah and Babar Azam.
