Leeds (GNP): Pakistan and England kick off a three-match Test series starting today, with the opening match at Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds. The second Test will be played at Lord’s from August 27, followed by the third at Edgbaston in Birmingham beginning September 9.
Pakistan will be without regular captain Babar Azam, who was injured after being struck by a ball during a three-day warm-up match.
Salman Ali Agha will take over captaincy duties for the Leeds Test, becoming the 36th player to lead Pakistan in Test cricket. Since debuting in July 2022, Salman has featured in 27 Tests, 53 ODIs, and 52 T20Is, having previously captained the side in two ODIs and 50 T20Is.
Shan Masood, who sat out the second Test against West Indies, is also in contention for a place in the Leeds lineup.
Following their eight-wicket win over West Indies in Port of Spain on August 5, which leveled that series, Pakistan’s squad arrived in London on August 8 and trained at Kent County Ground in Beckenham. During a subsequent three-day warm-up match against a Professional County Cricketers Select XI, Pakistan secured a seven-wicket win, aided by an unbeaten century from Saud Shakeel while chasing a target of 262.
Heading into the series, Pakistan will also look to Abdullah Shafique to continue his strong batting form.
Pakistan won their most recent home Test series against England 2-1, while England claimed victories in the 2020 home series and the 2022 away series. Earlier series in 2016 and 2018 ended in draws, while Pakistan won series played in the UAE in 2012 and 2015. Pakistan has also recorded Test wins over England in 1984, 1987 (twice), 1992, and 1996.
The two teams first met in Test cricket in 1954, with Pakistan winning that opening encounter by 24 runs at The Oval. On English soil, Pakistan has claimed five Test wins at Lord’s (1982, 1992, 1996, 2016, 2018) and four at The Oval (1954, 1992, 1996, 2010, 2016), along with victories at Leeds in 1987 and Manchester in 2001. Overall, Pakistan has won 23 of the 92 Tests played against England, with 39 ending in draws.
Speaking to the media ahead of the series, Pakistan’s red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed said the team’s preparation had gone smoothly, with both bowling and batting units well-covered heading into the tour, adding that morale within the squad remains high. He expressed confidence in Salman’s ability to lead the team, noting he tends to perform well under the added responsibility of captaincy. On Babar’s injury, Sarfaraz called it unfortunate but expressed hope he would be fit to return for the second Test.
Pakistan Test Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Salman Ali Agha (stand-in captain for Leeds Test), Aamir Jamal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah.
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England Squad: Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue.
Series Schedule (Play begins at 3pm PKT):
- August 19-23 – First Test, Leeds
- August 27-31 – Second Test, Lord’s
- September 9-13 – Third Test, Birmingham
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
