Foot Injury Threatens Shadab Khan’s Participation in New Zealand T20I Series

The Pakistan team has faced a significant setback before the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, with key all-rounder Shadab Khan expected to be sidelined due to a foot injury.

According to the details, Shadab’s participation in the upcoming five-match T20I series appears highly improbable, prompting the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to initiate the search for a suitable replacement for the 25-year-old.

It should be noted that Shadab Khan suffered a foot injury during the recent National T20 Cup and has been sidelined ever since.

Meanwhile, the PCB is set to announce the squad for the upcoming New Zealand tour on December 25. The selection committee, comprising Wahab Riaz, Kamran Akmal, Asad Shafiq, and Iftikhar Anjum, will convene in the coming days. In addition to their deliberations, the standout performers from the National T20 Cup will be given due consideration in the squad selection process.

The Pakistan cricket team is currently engaged in a three-match Test series in Australia as part of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle.

A mere five days after the culmination of the Test series on 7 January, Pakistan is slated to commence its T20I campaign against New Zealand on January 12. Following the resignation of Babar Azam from captaincy across all formats, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Shaheen Shah Afridi as the leader for the shorter format.

Shaheen, widely recognized as one of the world’s premier bowlers, particularly excelling with the new ball, is poised to embark on his inaugural assignment as captain against the formidable New Zealand side.

The Green Shirts are set to tour New Zealand in 2024, where they are scheduled to play in a 5-match T20I series. Here is the complete schedule:

Pakistan Tour of New Zealand 2024 Schedule