Abdullah Shafique Replaces Injured Pakistan Batter In Test Squad Vs West Indies

Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam [Source: X and AFP]

In a massive setback for Pakistan, young top-order batter Abdullah Fazal has been ruled out of the ongoing Test series against the West Indies due to a lower back injury. 

The 23-year-old sustained the blow during a training session on Thursday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, just a day before the first Test. With Fazal forced into rehabilitation, the team management is set to turn to a familiar name that is Abdullah Shafique.

Shafique, who last played a Test match in October 2025 against South Africa in Rawalpindi, is now being lined up to join the squad ahead of the second Test in Port of Spain. The right-handed opener is a proven performer in the longest format and his return, after almost a year away from the Test setup, gives Pakistan a reliable top-order option on a challenging away tour.

Abdullah Shafique Set To Make Glorious Return In Pakistan Test Setup

Abdullah Fazal’s untimely injury has thrown open the doors for Shafique to re-enter the red-ball arena as per a report from Pakistani media. Fazal had looked every bit an assured Test batter since his debut against Bangladesh in May, scoring twin half-centuries in his first outing and following it up with an unbeaten 50 and 48 in the tour game against a West Indies Select XI. 

His lower back issue, confirmed after an MRI scan and clinical assessment, has cut short a golden opportunity to cement his spot on two high-profile away tours, West Indies and England.

While the PCB has not yet made an official announcement on Fazal’s replacement, multiple reports suggest that Abdullah Shafique is the chosen man. 

Shafique will join the Babar Azam's squad from the second Test onwards, re-entering the group where Imam-ul-Haq and Azan Awais are currently the favoured opening pair. The 26-year-old’s last Test appearance came in the home series against South Africa in October 2025, meaning he is now on the verge of a significant comeback after a 10-month gap.

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Shafique’s impressive numbers in Test whites

Even with the long absence, Shafique’s body of work in Test cricket makes him one of the team’s most bankable opening prospects. In 24 Test matches, he has amassed 1,610 runs at an average of 37.44, including five hundreds and six fifties. 

Every single one of his 46 Test innings has come as an opener, with a highest score of 201, a double century against Sri Lanka in 2023 that showcased his immense appetite for big runs.

Shafique was Pakistan’s standout batter during the 2021-2022 tour of Australia, piling up 397 runs at 79.40 with a magnificent 136 not out in Rawalpindi. 

He backed that up with a performance in Sri Lanka later that year, notching 189 runs at 63.00, including a match-saving 160 not out. After a lean patch in 2024, his overall Test strike rate of 44.15 and the ability to bat long periods underline exactly why the team management wants him back in the mix.

Will Shafique get a game in the PAK vs WI Test series?

As things stand, Abdullah Shafique’s inclusion is primarily as injury cover and a squad reinforcement. The first Test in Tarouba is already underway with Imam-ul-Haq and Azan Awais taking guard at the top, and middle-order batter Awais Zafar is in line for a debut after being drafted in for the absent Saud Shakeel. 

Unless the Men in Green suffer another injury in the batting department or the current opening duo fails spectacularly, Shafique is unlikely to break into the playing XI for the second Test at Queen’s Park Oval.

Captain Babar Azam, speaking on the eve of the first Test, acknowledged the setback but did not confirm a replacement at the time. “I wish Abdullah good luck and hope he recovers well. The kind of talent he is I found very inspiring. He was very confident after his first series and his morale was very high,” Babar told PCB Digital.

Apparently, Abdullah Shafique may have to bide his time on the sidelines, using the tour to reintegrate into the Test environment and stay ready for the subsequent three-Test series in England. 

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