|| CF DESK ||

Pakistan's wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan has been ruled out of the five-match T20I series against New Zealand due to a grade one tear in his right calf muscle.

The development was confirmed in an official press release by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday, April 20. The swashbuckling batter has been advised ten days of rest after radiology reports confirmed the injury.

As per the release, the discomfort in Azam's right calf was first noticed during batting practice in the pre-series training session at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The 25-year-old Islamabad United star will be heading to National Cricket Academy in Lahore for rehabilitation.

Azam has played eight T20Is, with his last match against New Zealand in January. Despite being known as a big hitter, he has only scored 29 runs in seven innings, with a highest score of 10.

In the recent PSL, he scored 226 runs in ten innings for Islamabad United at a high strike rate of 171, helping the team win the tournament.