Multan, Pakistan

Pakistan announced their playing XI for the first Test against England in Multan starting Monday (Oct 7). Seasoned campaigner Shaheen Shah Afridi returned to the Test side, while the hosts also picked fellow seamer Aamer Jamal in the playing XI. 

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While Afridi missed the second Test against Bangladesh, which Pakistan lost, Jamal was out with a back injury.

Shan Masood will lead a strong XI against the touring England side, with the hosts sticking with Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique as openers. While Masood will continue to bat in his usual position at number three, star batter Babar Azam is slated to bat at four.

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Babar, the former all-format captain, hasn’t scored a Test hundred since December 2022, with his last century across any format coming against Nepal at home during the Asia Cup last year. His lean patch led to him resigning from the white-ball captaincy recently, with him committing to focus and work on his batting with England and Australia series looming.

Pakistan’s lower middle order will consist of keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, Test specialist Saud Shakeel and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha. 

Shaheen will lead the pace attack alongside Jamal and Naseem Shah, while Abrar Ahmed, who made his Pakistan debut against England two years ago, is the lone spinner in the playing XI.

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Here is Pakistan’s final playing XI for the Multan Test against England –

Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed

No Stokes for England in first Test

England will be without their regular Test captain and star all-rounder Ben Stokes for the first Test in Multan, as he is out with a hamstring injury. Ollie Pope will lead the team in his absence. 

While opener Zak Crawley was declared fit and named in the final XI for the series opener, England brought in experienced all-rounder Chris Woakes for the first Test.

England also handed a debut cap to seamer Brydon Carse. 

England’s squad for the Multan Test -

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir

(With inputs from agencies)