Pakistan vs New Zealand: Injured Imam-ul-Haq ruled out of second Test, to return home on Sunday

KARACHI: Opener Imam-ul-Haq has been ruled out of the second Test due to the thumb injury and would be returning home from New Zealand on Sunday, Pakistan Cricket Board said on Saturday. Imam had sustained the injury during training sessions in Queenstown.

The PCB said that Imam would be returning home on Sunday and would undergo rehab at the high performance centre in Lahore. Pakistan has been left to deal with a spate of injuries with all-rounder Shadab Khan being ruled out of next month's home series against South Africa starting on January 26 due to a thigh injury.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam is also on the injury list with a thumb fracture and has missed the T20 series and first Test in New Zealand. Babar, who has been Pakistan's top run-scorer across all three formats since last year, suffered the injury during a throw-down session in Queenstown on December 12.

The board said he is progressing well and had started practicing with the hard ball. PCB said a decision on whether Babar would play in the second Test beginning on January 3 at Christchurch would be taken on the eve of the match.