Babar Azam Doubtful for Headingley as Pakistan Defer to Match Day

Babar Azam is doubtful for the first Test against England at Headingley. Pakistan’s management confirmed on August 17 that a final call on his availability will be made on match day, following medical assessment. The first Test begins August 19.

Babar did take part in batting practice at Headingley on Monday morning, facing throwdowns for a brief period, but spent considerably less time in the nets than the rest of his teammates. The exact nature and severity of the hand injury have not been disclosed by team management.

What Mohammad Abbas Said on August 17

Pakistan vice-captain Mohammad Abbas addressed the media on Monday and made the team’s position clear.

“Whether he plays or not will be a decision taken on match day. He did a few throwdowns and some batting practice today. But we’ll have to follow medical advice for it,” Abbas told reporters, as quoted by Cricinfo.

Abbas also confirmed that Shan Masood, who has been carrying a finger injury and was seen with a plaster during training, completed the full session and came through it well.

“With Shan, too, we’re just going to rely on the medical advice. Shan practised for the whole session and looked very good,” Abbas said.

The squad flew into Leeds on August 16 and held their first session at Headingley the following morning. The surface at the ground looked noticeably green ahead of the Test, a detail that will matter considerably when both captains assess conditions on match morning.

Source: PCB media releas

How the Injury Happened

Babar was batting on the second day of Pakistan’s three-day warm-up fixture against a County Select XI at Kent when a rising delivery from England Under-19 pacer Manny Lumsden struck him on the right hand. He was on five at the time and did not bat again in the match.

The PCB issued a statement from Kent on August 14, describing the decision to pull him from the remainder of the fixture as precautionary.

“Following an assessment by the team doctor and taking precautionary measures, Babar has been advised to take rest from the remainder of the practice match. Babar will participate in Pakistan team’s practice session on Monday, 17 August, at Headingley Cricket Ground,” the board said in their media release.

No injury diagnosis was announced at that stage and no scan was publicly confirmed.

Full match report: Pakistan Beat County Select XI in Final Warm-Up Before England Tests

If Babar Misses Headingley: Captaincy and Batting

The captaincy question is the more complicated of the two.

Babar resumed the Test captaincy at the start of the West Indies series, taking over from Shan Masood. When Babar was absent from the second innings of the Beckenham warm-up, Salman Ali Agha led the side, making him the confirmed in-match stand-in based on the most recent evidence available to the management. Salman already holds the T20I captaincy but has not skippered Pakistan in a Test match, so any absence at Headingley would require the management to clarify the leadership arrangement publicly before the toss.

Shan Masood remains a theoretical option given his experience as Pakistan’s previous Test captain, but he is himself managing a finger injury and the management would be unlikely to hand him captaincy responsibilities on top of a return from injury in the same match.

On the batting side, Saud Shakeel and Muhammad Awais Zafar are both expected to hold their places in the middle order regardless of Babar’s availability. Shakeel scored an unbeaten century in the Beckenham warm-up on his return from the West Indies series, and Zafar made his Test debut against the West Indies and could retain his place if Babar is ruled out.

Headingley Pitch: Green Surface Before Test One

The surface at Headingley was noticeably green during Pakistan’s Monday session, which adds a layer of significance to Babar’s availability beyond the batting numbers alone.

A green pitch at Headingley in August favours the pace bowlers, particularly those who can move the ball off the seam. England’s conditions have historically presented Pakistan’s batting with their sharpest examination of any overseas tour, and losing their most experienced batter and captain before a ball has been bowled would compound the challenge considerably.

Pakistan’s pace attack, led by Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad, will look to exploit those conditions from their end. Whether they do so with Babar marshalling the chase from the other side of the game remains the question that carries into match morning.

WTC Standings: Why This Series Cannot Be Written Off

Both Pakistan and England arrive at Headingley in the bottom two of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 table, which makes this three-match series the clearest opportunity either side will have to climb before the cycle closes.

Team	WTC Points Percentage
England	24.36%
Pakistan	22.22%

Three Tests against a direct rival at the bottom of the table is the kind of fixture that defines whether a team finishes the cycle with a realistic path to the final or spends the last year playing out results that no longer matter. Pakistan’s eight-wicket win in Port of Spain against the West Indies at the start of August ended a run of eight consecutive overseas Test defeats and gave this squad genuine belief coming into the England series. Losing Babar on the eve of the first Test would test the depth of that belief immediately.

Pakistan Test Squad for England

Babar Azam (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah.

Series Schedule

Test	Dates	Venue
First	19–23 August	Headingley
Second	27–31 August	Lord’s
Third	9–13 September	Edgbaston

Full coverage: Pakistan tour of England 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Babar Azam playing the first Test at Headingley? His availability is doubtful. Pakistan’s management confirmed on August 17 that a final decision will be made on match day, subject to medical assessment. He took part in light batting practice on Monday but spent less time in the nets than his teammates.

What injury does Babar Azam have? Babar was struck on the right hand by a rising delivery from Manny Lumsden during the warm-up match against a County Select XI at Kent on August 15. The PCB described the decision to rest him as precautionary and has not publicly confirmed a diagnosis.

Who will captain Pakistan if Babar misses the Headingley Test? Salman Ali Agha captained Pakistan in the second innings of the Beckenham warm-up when Babar was unavailable and is the most likely stand-in. Shan Masood, Pakistan’s previous Test captain, is also in the squad but is managing a finger injury of his own.

Is Shan Masood fit for the first Test? Mohammad Abbas confirmed on August 17 that Shan trained for the full session at Headingley and looked very good. He was seen with a plaster on his finger, and the management has said they will follow medical advice on his availability as well.

When does the first Test between England and Pakistan start? The first Test begins on August 19 at Headingley, Leeds, and runs through to August 23.