Abdul Razzaq misses start of New Zealand tour

Abdul Razzaq will not travel to New Zealand with the Pakistan team after reporting sick on Wednesday morning. Doctors have advised him complete rest.

The team leaves Karachi for Auckland early on Thursday for a 40-day tour, which includes two Tests and five one-day internationals. New Zealand will be back to something like full strength after a rather makeshift side was overpowered 5-0 in the recent one-day series between the two sides in Pakistan.

Razzaq will not be replaced in the team, but will join up with the party in New Zealand as soon as he is given a clean bill of health. Oddly, his previous tour of New Zealand (in early 2001) was also cut short by illness.