Babar Azam Hospitalized With Fever as Pakistan Overhaul Squad for Decisive Test

A ROUGH WEEK GETS ROUGHER

Pakistan captain Babar Azam was taken to hospital with a fever in the days following the team's heavy defeat at Lord's, where England sealed the series 2-0 with a 194-run win. Doctors found chest congestion and a sore throat and advised three days of complete rest, leaving his availability for the series-ending third Test at Edgbaston (September 9-13) in doubt.

Team manager Naveed Akram Cheema confirmed the fever but downplayed the alarm around it, saying there was no cause for concern and that Babar was expected to recover in time for the match. Vice-captain Salman Ali Agha was on standby to lead the side if Babar wasn't fit.

Babar had already been managing a recovery from a fractured finger before Lord's, where he played having declared himself only around ninety percent fit. Back-to-back Tests on a body still healing appear to have caught up with him.

THE SQUAD OVERHAUL

Separately, the Pakistan Cricket Board dropped seven players from the squad after the Lord's collapse: Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad. In their place came experienced options Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal and Arafat Minhas, along with four uncapped players: wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig, left-arm pacer Mohammad Imran Jnr, seam-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Imran Randhawa and fast bowler Razaullah.

Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul also left their posts. Mike Hesson, previously the white-ball head coach, and bowling coach Ashley Noffke took over for the Edgbaston Test.

WHERE PAKISTAN STOOD

Pakistan had lost both Tests so far in the series, by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley and by 194 runs at Lord's, without passing 200 runs in any of their four innings.

THE PAYOFF AT EDGBASTON

Of the four uncapped debutants named in the reshuffle, Razaullah made the loudest statement. Bowled out for 133 in their first innings, Pakistan followed on and looked headed for an innings defeat until Razaullah, batting at number nine, smashed 81 off 63 balls including nine sixes, then backed it up with four wickets in England's first innings, dragging Pakistan to 449 and forcing England to bat again needing just 130 to win on the fourth day. Whichever way the result finally went, the uncapped debutant handed Hesson's rebuilt side the one thing it lacked in the first two Tests: a fight.