In a major setback for Pakistan ahead of their ICC World Test Championship 2025-27assignments in the West Indies and England, promising top-order batter Abdullah Fazal has been ruled out due to a back injury.

The 23-year-old sustained an acute lower back injury during a training session at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy Ground in Trinidad. Following an MRI scan and clinical assessments, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) medical panel confirmed that Fazal will require an extended period of rehabilitation, forcing him out of both away assignments.

The PCB is yet to officially name a replacement for the West Indies leg, stating a decision will be announced in due course if required. Pakistan is already managing resources with middle-order mainstay Saud Shakeel, who was excluded from the West Indies squad to continue his recovery and is only expected to join the team for the England series, subject to fitness.

Fazal’s untimely injury could pave the way for the return of Kamran Ghulam. Despite scoring a spectacular century on his Test debut and accumulating nearly 5,000 first-class runs, the 30-year-old has found himself on the sidelines since the second Test against the West Indies in Multan back in January 2025.

In his six Test appearances so far, Ghulam has scored 312 runs at an average of 28.36, and his domestic pedigree makes him a prime candidate to step back into the red-ball frame.

Fazal’s absence also dramatically increases the chances of uncapped top-order batter Awais Zafar making his Test debut. Depending on how Babar Azam’s leadership group balances the playing XI, Pakistan faces two distinct selection pathways:

The five-specialist batter combination: If Pakistan opts for five specialist batters, Imam-ul-Haq and Azan Awais are slated to open. They will be followed by the newly-reappointed captain Babar Azam, former skipper Shan Masood, and Salman Ali Agha. This setup leaves the lower-middle order anchored by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan at six and pace all-rounder Aamir Jamal at seven.

The six-specialist batter combination: Should the team opt to bolster their batting depth by playing six specialist batsmen, Awais Zafar is highly likely to make his debut. In this scenario, he would slot directly into the top-order, meaning Pakistan would sacrifice a specialist bowler to accommodate the extra batsman.

Pakistan’s first Test against the West Indies is scheduled to begin at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on July 25.