Why is Shadab Khan not playing today’s 1st ODI between Pakistan and New Zealand in Karachi?

Pakistan have made early inroads into New Zealand’s batting lineup after captain Babar Azam won the toss and chose to field in the ongoing first ODI at the National Stadium.

It was in the first over itself that fast bowler Naseem Shah dismissed New Zealand opening batter Devon Conway (0) on the first ball that he faced. Having completely missed a flick, Conway surprisingly but unfortunately witnessed the ball hitting his pad before hitting the wickets.

Conway’s opening partner Finn Allen (29) was looking in good nick on the back of hitting six fours at a strike rate of 107.40 before trying to play a shot too many. With the ball not being there to be punched, Allen attempting the same saw him mis-timing it to Agha Salman, who grabbed a marvelous diving catch at cover.

Azam introduced debutant spinner Usama Mir into the attack right after the completion of the first powerplay. It was on the 14th ball that he bowled in international cricket that Mir picked the all-important wicket of New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (26) to put on display a classic leg-spinner’s dismissal.

Mir, 27, has been playing domestic cricket for almost a decade and a primary reason behind him getting to make an ODI debut today is the absence of white-ball vice-captain Shadab Khan.

Why is Shadab Khan not playing today vs New Zealand?

For the unversed, Khan isn’t part of Pakistan’s 16-member squad for this series. It was during his recent stint for Hobart Hurricanes in Big Bash League 2022-23 that Khan injured his finger. A minor fracture will keep the all-rounder out of action for two to three weeks. It is worth mentioning that Khan had tweeted to congratulate Mir upon a maiden national call-up last week.

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Playing an ODI after more than five and a half months, Pakistan have made a total of five changes to their Playing XI. Batters Abdullah Shafique and Khushdil Shah, wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Haris, spinner Zahid Mahmood and pacer Shahnawaz Dahani have made way for batters Imam-ul-Haq and Haris Sohail, wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan, Mir and fast bowler Haris Rauf.

New Zealand, meanwhile, have made a couple of changes to their Playing XI which had played a rain-affected match against India in Christchurch in November. All-rounder Michael Bracewell and debutant pacer Henry Shipley are playing in Karachi in place of fast bowlers Matt Henry and Adam Milne.