Babar Azam to Miss England Tour Due to Thumb Injury

National Team Captain Faces Setback as Pakistan Prepares for England Tour

Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan's national cricket team, has been ruled out of the upcoming tour of England due to a thumb injury, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Monday.

According to the PCB, Azam suffered a fracture in his thumb during a training session last week and will require a period of rest and rehabilitation to fully recover. "Babar is a key player for us and his absence will be a big blow to the team," said PCB chief selector Mohammad Wasim. "We are confident that he will make a full recovery and be back in action soon, but we have decided to give him the time he needs to heal properly."

The news of Azam's injury has come as a major setback for Pakistan, who are scheduled to play three Tests and three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against England starting from July 8. Azam is Pakistan's leading batsman in both Tests and T20Is and his absence will leave a big void in the team's batting lineup.

The PCB has not yet announced a replacement for Azam as captain, but it is likely that vice-captain Mohammad Rizwan will take over the reins. Rizwan has led Pakistan in three T20Is in the recent past, and he will be looking to prove his credentials as a leader in the upcoming tour of England.

Pakistan's tour of England will be a major test for the team's new-look阵容. In addition to Azam's absence, the team will also be without several other key players, including Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is still recovering from a knee injury. However, the team will be boosted by the return of veteran batsman Shoaib Malik, who has been recalled to the squad.

Pakistan will be hoping to put up a strong performance in England despite the absence of some of their key players. The team will be looking to build on their recent success in Test cricket, where they have won their last three series, including a historic 2-0 victory over Australia in Australia.