Babar Azam ruled out of remainder of England tour

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Pakistan middle-order batsman Babar Azam will take no further part in the Test series against England after suffering a fractured forearm.

Babar was struck on an unprotected left forearm by a Ben Stokes bouncer on day two of the first Test at Lord’s and play was stopped for him to receive attention from medical staff.

He top-scored with 68 as the visitors built a 166-run lead, ending the day on a strong 350/8.

He did not go for scans straightaway but did not take the field for the rest of the day.

Scans later revealed a fracture that rules Azam out of action for a minimum of four to six weeks.

“We decided we were going to do a precautionary X-ray at the end of the day’s play,” Cliffe Deacon, the Pakistan team physiotherapist, said. “Unfortunately, the X-ray confirmed there was a fracture.

“The fracture’s in the forearm, it’s one of the two bones in the forearm in the distal third of the arm, just above the wrist. That’s why he couldn’t hold his bat properly.

“Normally with these sort of fractures, recovery varies between four to six weeks.”

With the likes of Usman Salahuddin, Fakhar Zaman and Sami Aslam already in the side, Pakistan have decided against naming a replacement for the second Test, which starts at Headingley from 1 June.

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