Babar Azam down with high fever as Pakistan reel from horror England tour

ENG vs PAK: Babar Azam is battling a high fever ahead of Pakistan's crucial third Test against England at Edgbaston, adding to the captain's growing concerns after a poor Lord's outing.Babar Azam is down with fever before the Edgbaston Test. Courtesy: ReutersBabar Azam's England tour has taken another worrying turn, with the Pakistan captain battling a high fever ahead of the decisive third Test at Edgbaston, Geo Super reported. The 31-year-old has already endured a difficult return to the side, scoring only eight and six in the second Test at Lord's as Pakistan suffered a 194-run defeat.The illness comes at an especially turbulent time for Pakistan cricket. Following their second successive heavy defeat, the PCB removed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and sent seven players home, while Mike Hesson was brought in to oversee the team for the final Test.According to Pakistan team media manager Naveed Akram Cheema, Babar informed him about the fever. However, Cheema sought to play down concerns surrounding the captain's health, saying there was no need to panic and that Babar was expected to recover soon.The timing, nevertheless, is far from ideal for a player already under considerable pressure. Babar missed the opening Test at Headingley because of a finger injury before returning at Lord's. His 14 runs across two innings only intensified questions over his form, particularly with his Test century drought stretching back to December 2022. BABAR AND PAKISTAN'S DREADFUL RUNPakistan's campaign has unravelled quickly in England. They were beaten by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley before England completed a 194-run victory at Lord's to seal the series 2-0. Pakistan have failed to score more than 200 in any innings across the first two Tests, underlining the scale of their batting problems.Pakistan now head to Birmingham needing to avoid a 0-3 series whitewash. For Babar, the priority will be twofold: recover from the fever and rediscover the form expected of their premier batter and captain. The Edgbaston Test begins on September 9, with Pakistan facing an uphill task after a chaotic fortnight that has left their squad, coaching staff and leadership under intense scrutiny.- EndsPublished By: sabyasachi chowdhuryPublished On: Sep 1, 2026 23:13 IST