WORCESTERSHIRE CCC have added serious international quality to their batting line-up for the 2022 LV=Insurance County Championship campaign.

Pakistan's opening test batsman Azhar Ali has committed to the club for all 14 County Championship matches this summer.

But it comes on the back of disappointment for the county as it has been confirmed that Australian Matthew Wade will not be joining this summer after being picked up by the Gujarat Titans for this year’s Indian Premier League.

Ali replaces Wade in one of Worcestershire's overseas player spots. 

The right-hander has played 91 Tests for his country spanning 11 years since making his debut in 2010 and has scored 6721 runs at an average of 42.53 with 18 centuries.

Ali already has experience of County Championship cricket, through three spells at Somerset, and he scored a century against Worcestershire on his debut at Taunton in 2018.

He is set for his Worcestershire debut in the opening County Championship game against Leicestershire at the Uptonsteel County Ground beginning on April 7.

Chairman Paul Pridgeon is delighted to have him on board.

"His record in Test cricket is outstanding, and he offers great experience and is of high quality.

"He has got a lot going for him, and it is excellent as well that we've got someone available to play County Championship cricket all summer. It gives us that stability.

"Azhar will be great in the dressing room as well and will also be able to pass on some good information and experience to the young lads.

"We spoke to Andy Hurry (Somerset Head Coach), and he said Azhar is singularly the nicest human being you could ever come across.

"The fact he has played county cricket already so knows all about English conditions is another plus factor."