Babar Azam to play County Championship match for Somerset against Warwickshire

The 24-year-old batsman had initially joined exclusively for the T20 Blast games but will now play for Somerset at Edgbaston on August 18

Pakistan and Somerset batsman Babar Azam has made himself available to play for Somerset against Warwickshire when the next round of County Championship fixtures begin next month.

Azam, 24, initially joined the Royal London One-Day Cup winners exclusively for the T20 Blast fixtures, but has now agreed to play at Edgbaston on August 18 if selected.

Given the nature of the registration regulations, Somerset have said there isn't time to de-register Babar Azam and re-register Azhar Ali, and therefore the no.1 ranked T20 batsman in the world will fill the hole temporarily left by his countryman against the Bears.

"He's fitted in really well and we're all looking forward to seeing him play," Somerset coach Jason Kerr said of Azam to the club's official website.

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"You can only have two overseas players on the books at one time and, due to the regulations, there simply isn't the necessary time frame to re-register Azhar Ali.

"Fortunately for us Babar Azam has agreed to play in our four-day game at Warwickshire, which falls right in the middle of the T20 Blast.

"If he hadn't agreed, we would have been without an overseas player for that match."

Somerset have also stated Ali will return for the final three County Championship matches of the season.

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