Injured Keegan Meth set to miss Zimbabwe Test

Seam bowler still nursing an injury after being hit in the mouth in series against Bangladesh, and will not play in the one-off Test against Pakistan.

Zimbabwe made one change to the squad which marked the country's return to Test cricket with a 130-run win over Bangladesh as they prepare for the one-off match against Pakistan.

Keegan Meth, the seam bowler, has been forced to miss the Test, which begins at Bulawayo on Thursday, because of a mouth injury suffered in the final one-day international (ODI) against Bangladesh.

Meth was struck in the mouth after the Bangladesh batsman Nasir Hossain hit the ball straight back to him. He lost three teeth and suffered a laceration to his lip in the incident.

Alistair Campbell, the Zimbabwe Cricket chairman of selectors, revealed Meth's replacement would be named after conditions at the Queens Sports Club had been assessed.

"The 14 players we named the last time remain the same and we will be naming the 15th player on the eve of the match, depending on the conditions at the match venue and the performances from the practice match," Campbell told Zimbabwean newspaper News Day.

Brian Vitori, the left-arm quick bowler who missed the last two one-day games with a shin injury, returns to the squad and is expected to line up alongside Chris Mpofu and Kyle Jarvis.

Zimbabwe won the ODI series 3-2 against Bangladesh and will look to continue that against Pakistan, after the Test when they play three ODIs and two Twenty20 games.

Pakistan go into the tour with coach Waqar Younis already having stated his intention to resign after the series for medical reasons. He will not be able to call on experienced all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who has declared himself unavailable as he will not work with Waqar.

Pakistan have rested Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz and Abdur Rehman, and have brought back Imran Farhat, Adnan Akmal and Sohail Tanvir to the squad.