Pakistan cricket team suffered a major blow ahead of the five-match T20I series against New Zealand as all-rounder and vice-captain Shadab Khan is unlikely to join the Men in Green due to an injury, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Shadab Khan, 25, sustained a foot injury in the recently-held National T20 Cup and has been sidelined since then. His participation in the upcoming five-match T20I series is highly unlikely and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will look for the 25-year-old’s replacement soon.

The PCB aims to announce the squad for the New Zealand tour on December 25. PCB’s selection committee consisting of Wahab Riaz, Kamran Akmal, Asad Shafiq, and Iftikhar Anjum will meet in the coming days and the top performers of the National T20 Cup will also be considered.

The Pakistan cricket team is currently in Australia to play a three-match Test series in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle which will conclude on January 7.

After the Test series, Pakistan is scheduled to play their first T20I match against New Zealand on January 12.

After Babar Azam stepped down as captain in all formats, Shaheen Shah Afridi was named the skipper of the shorter format by the PCB.

Tour schedule

First match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 12 January, Auckland

Second match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 14 January, Hamilton

Third match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 17 January, Dunedin

Fourth match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 19 January, Christchurch

Fifth match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 21 January, Christchurch.