WI vs PAK: Azam Khan hospitalized after sustaining a head injury, ruled out of 2nd and 3rd T20Is

Pakistan received a big blow ahead of their second T20 international against West Indies on Saturday as Azam Khan was hit on the head while batting at the nets. The 22-year-old was immediately taken to hospital and a CT scan was taken too, as confirmed by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The right-hand batter was wearing his helmet and put all other safety equipment in place, but the ball seemed to have found a way to hit Azam while batting. The doctors analyzed the CT scan report and recommended a 24-hour observation period. His next reassessment will be on Monday (August 2)

The rescheduled four-match T20I series between West Indies and Pakistan began on July 28, albeit with rain playing a spoilsport. The match lasted just nine overs as West Indies scored 85 runs and lost five wickets. With the first game washed out, the series has virtually become a three-match T20I series. Considering that the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 is just three months away, both teams will look to build their respective squads for the global event set to be held in the UAE.

Babar Azam and team management are keen on providing chances to fringe players

During Pakistan’s last limited-overs series against England, there was criticism on the team management that they didn’t provide opportunities to players like Azam Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, and Mohammad Hasnain. Skipper Babar Azam, before the series, addressed the media in a virtual press conference and spoke about playing all three players during the T20 matches.

“We did not get a lot of chances to try different combinations during the series against England. We will now try different combinations. We will try to learn from our mistakes. We will give confidence to our players. We have also worked on our fielding. Hopefully, we will see better results,” said Babar Azam.

With West Indies being a force to reckon with in the shortest format, the series gives opportunities to Azam, Hasnain, and Maqsood to perform well and press their case for inclusion in the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Meanwhile, skipper Azam would like to continue his good form in T20 cricket and help his team win games.