Pakistan great Wasim Akram has criticised Babar Azam for his leadership during the team’s tour of England, where Pakistan suffered a 3-0 defeat after making major changes to the squad following the first two matches. Akram was unhappy with Babar’s comments that he was unaware of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s decision to remove coaches Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul, along with seven players from the squad.&nbsp;Babar had said, ‘It was news to me too’, while adding that questions about the changes should be asked to the PCB.&nbsp;Speaking at a charity event on Sunday, Akram took a sarcastic dig at Babar and questioned how the captain could be unaware of such a major decision.&nbsp;“Babar Azam said he did not know. If you don’t know, then what were you doing here? Were you here to sell chickpeas?” Akram asked.&nbsp;“As a player or as a person, I believe that if your leader or captain does not stand by you, you cannot give 100 per cent,” he added.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mma-fighter-varun-sanyal-out-of-asian-games-after-passing-out-during-weight-cut-1789906879144">MMA fighter Varun Sanyal out of Asian Games after passing out during weight cut</a>&nbsp;Akram also felt that Babar should either have rejected the Test captaincy when the PCB asked him to replace Shan Masood or stepped down after Pakistan’s second defeat.&nbsp;“I do not want to blame anyone and I could be wrong as well,” Akram said.&nbsp;“But in my opinion, Babar should not have taken the captaincy. All of this was unnecessary… My suggestion is that after the second Test, Babar should have said that he would play only as a player,” he added.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/elavenil-valarivan-reveals-what-clicked-in-her-asian-games-silver-my-triggering-worked-really-well-1789905670632">Elavenil Valarivan on her Asian Games silver: ‘My triggering worked really well’</a>&nbsp;Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar recently called Babar a ‘weak’ personality, while ex-captain Rashid Latif described him as a ‘dummy captain’.

Pakistan great Wasim Akram criticised Babar Azam's leadership during the England tour, questioning his role as captain if he was unaware of significant changes within the team.

Pakistan great Wasim Akram has criticised Babar Azam for his leadership during the team’s tour of England, where Pakistan suffered a 3-0 defeat after making major changes to the squad following the first two matches. Akram was unhappy with Babar’s comments that he was unaware of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s decision to remove coaches Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul, along with seven players from the squad. Babar had said, ‘It was news to me too’, while adding that questions about the changes should be asked to the PCB. Speaking at a charity event on Sunday, Akram took a sarcastic dig at Babar and questioned how the captain could be unaware of such a major decision. “Babar Azam said he did not know. If you don’t know, then what were you doing here? Were you here to sell chickpeas?” Akram asked. “As a player or as a person, I believe that if your leader or captain does not stand by you, you cannot give 100 per cent,” he added. Also Read - MMA fighter Varun Sanyal out of Asian Games after passing out during weight cut Akram also felt that Babar should either have rejected the Test captaincy when the PCB asked him to replace Shan Masood or stepped down after Pakistan’s second defeat. “I do not want to blame anyone and I could be wrong as well,” Akram said. “But in my opinion, Babar should not have taken the captaincy. All of this was unnecessary… My suggestion is that after the second Test, Babar should have said that he would play only as a player,” he added. Also Read - Elavenil Valarivan on her Asian Games silver: ‘My triggering worked really well’ Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar recently called Babar a ‘weak’ personality, while ex-captain Rashid Latif described him as a ‘dummy captain’.

Pakistan great Wasim Akram criticised Babar Azam's leadership during the England tour, questioning his role as captain if he was unaware of significant changes within the team.

'Were you here to sell chickpeas?': Wasim Akram criticises Babar Azam's captaincy

UPDATE: Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan's writ petition against being question by the country's National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has been rejected by Lahore High Court on Thursday (Sep 17). The court has also directed the player to answer the questions asked by the agency.&nbsp;Rizwan had filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court against being summoned by Pakistan's NCCIA in the aftermath of the Lord's Test overhaul after a loss to England. Rizwan was one of seven players who were abruptly dropped from the squad along with Imam-ul-Haq, who was also questioned by the NCCIA. The players were questioned last week post the tour, which ended in a 0-3 whitewash. The NCCIA, according to Cricinfo, was given a questionnaire to be filled by the September 15 deadline. While Imam sent it back after filling it, Rizwan chose to file the petition on Monday (Sep 14).<h2>Rizwan goes to court against being questioned by Pakistan's cyber crime agency</h2>Rizwan, as reported by Cricinfo, moved to the court against being questioned, citing a lack of allegations and also questioning the NCCIA's jurisdiction for summoning him. The questionnaire included the players' travel and financial histories along with their personal and career details.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-squad-west-indies-2026-odi-t20i-auqib-nabi-mayank-yadav-1789573587522">Auqib Nabi earns maiden ODI call-up; Mayank returns for WI T20Is| check squads</a>"Why was I called by the NCCIA?" Rizwan asked in his letter, as reported by Pakistan-based news outlet The News.It is not clear at the moment whether the questioning is part of the PCB's inquiry which it had announced last week, when the board had said that it "initiated an internal disciplinary inquiry following media reports concerning discipline and conduct, which are currently being reviewed internally"."We have had a discussion to ascertain the reasons behind it. They include factors beyond performance and we will get to the bottom of it," PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi had also said.<h2>What brought the inquiry upon the Pak players?</h2>The drama started after Pakistan's loss in the second Test by 194 runs after losing the first Test by an innings and 103 runs. Imam, who was named in the second Test playing XI, did not bat because of a calf tear but was accused of faking an injury. Rizwan, who returned scores of 12, 41, 7, and 1 across four innings, was also criticised for his shot selection.Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed, in an interview with local broadcaster Geo TV at the time, had said that "the message we're sending to the recalled players is that you have to raise your game on important tours and compete, and we should be able to see some effort."Following the wholesale changes, which did not change the result in the third Test, Pakistan selector Misbah-ul-Haq had also resigned.

Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan writ petition has been rejected by the Lahore High Court against NCCIA summons after a 0-3 Test series loss to England. He cited lack of allegations and questioned their jurisdiction.

UPDATE: Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan's writ petition against being question by the country's National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has been rejected by Lahore High Court on Thursday (Sep 17). The court has also directed the player to answer the questions asked by the agency. Rizwan had filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court against being summoned by Pakistan's NCCIA in the aftermath of the Lord's Test overhaul after a loss to England. Rizwan was one of seven players who were abruptly dropped from the squad along with Imam-ul-Haq, who was also questioned by the NCCIA. The players were questioned last week post the tour, which ended in a 0-3 whitewash. The NCCIA, according to Cricinfo, was given a questionnaire to be filled by the September 15 deadline. While Imam sent it back after filling it, Rizwan chose to file the petition on Monday (Sep 14). Rizwan goes to court against being questioned by Pakistan's cyber crime agency Rizwan, as reported by Cricinfo, moved to the court against being questioned, citing a lack of allegations and also questioning the NCCIA's jurisdiction for summoning him. The questionnaire included the players' travel and financial histories along with their personal and career details. Also Read - Auqib Nabi earns maiden ODI call-up; Mayank returns for WI T20Is| check squads "Why was I called by the NCCIA?" Rizwan asked in his letter, as reported by Pakistan-based news outlet The News. It is not clear at the moment whether the questioning is part of the PCB's inquiry which it had announced last week, when the board had said that it "initiated an internal disciplinary inquiry following media reports concerning discipline and conduct, which are currently being reviewed internally". "We have had a discussion to ascertain the reasons behind it. They include factors beyond performance and we will get to the bottom of it," PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi had also said. What brought the inquiry upon the Pak players? The drama started after Pakistan's loss in the second Test by 194 runs after losing the first Test by an innings and 103 runs. Imam, who was named in the second Test playing XI, did not bat because of a calf tear but was accused of faking an injury. Rizwan, who returned scores of 12, 41, 7, and 1 across four innings, was also criticised for his shot selection. Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed, in an interview with local broadcaster Geo TV at the time, had said that "the message we're sending to the recalled players is that you have to raise your game on important tours and compete, and we should be able to see some effort." Following the wholesale changes, which did not change the result in the third Test, Pakistan selector Misbah-ul-Haq had also resigned.

Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan writ petition has been rejected by the Lahore High Court against NCCIA summons after a 0-3 Test series loss to England. He cited lack of allegations and questioned their jurisdiction.

Pak batter Rizwan's petition against being questioned by cyber crime agency rejected by court

Pakistan's wholesale squad changes after defeat in the second of three England Tests even left skipper Babar Azam surprised. The Pakistan skipper, speaking on the eve of the third Test, which begins September 9 at Edgbaston, answered some difficult questions after the mid-tour drama. Pakistan, after losing the first two Tests, sent seven players back home and sacked red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed as well as bowling coach Umar Gul. Misbah-ul-Haq, one of the selectors, resigned amid the chaos, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also announced an inquest into player behavior and conduct.<h2>Babar Azam says he was blindsided by PCB's wholesale changes</h2>Babar said he found out about the squad changes after the PCB had made them—and not before, as should have been the case given he is the skipper. "It was news to me. I found out after. The PCB decided it, so they'll be able to explain better."Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/joe-root-defends-pakistan-disrespectful-lack-of-fight-criticism-1788878363554">‘Disrespectful’: Joe Root defends Pakistan against ‘lack of fight’ criticism</a>On why the PCB decided to go this route mid-tour, Babar said: "The PCB's decision must have been taken after some thought process. It's better if you ask them why."The PCB appointed white-ball coach Mike Hesson as Sarfaraz's replacement for the third Test, which Babar says is an opportunity for the new players. Notably, five of the seven replacement players announced by the PCB have not played a single Test."The series is lost, but we have nothing to lose. We should play freely and believe in ourselves as a team. We've practiced for a couple of days and explained things to the new boys. Any young player who comes in is excited, and that excitement is visible. I believe that will be visible in the match, too," said the skipper.<h2>Pakistan in WTC 2025–27</h2>Pakistan are currently at the bottom of the <a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/world-test-championship/standings">World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27</a> cycle's points table. The Asian team have played eight Tests in the cycle, winning only two of them and losing the remaining six. The third Test, even if Pakistan manage to win, won't really help them with their aspirations of playing in the WTC final, for which they are very much out of the race.

Babar Azam admitted being blindsided after Pakistan sacked their coaches, sent seven players home, and brought in five uncapped recruits amid mid-tour chaos following back-to-back Test losses to England.

Pakistan's wholesale squad changes after defeat in the second of three England Tests even left skipper Babar Azam surprised. The Pakistan skipper, speaking on the eve of the third Test, which begins September 9 at Edgbaston, answered some difficult questions after the mid-tour drama. Pakistan, after losing the first two Tests, sent seven players back home and sacked red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed as well as bowling coach Umar Gul. Misbah-ul-Haq, one of the selectors, resigned amid the chaos, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also announced an inquest into player behavior and conduct. Babar Azam says he was blindsided by PCB's wholesale changes Babar said he found out about the squad changes after the PCB had made them—and not before, as should have been the case given he is the skipper. "It was news to me. I found out after. The PCB decided it, so they'll be able to explain better." Also Read - ‘Disrespectful’: Joe Root defends Pakistan against ‘lack of fight’ criticism On why the PCB decided to go this route mid-tour, Babar said: "The PCB's decision must have been taken after some thought process. It's better if you ask them why." The PCB appointed white-ball coach Mike Hesson as Sarfaraz's replacement for the third Test, which Babar says is an opportunity for the new players. Notably, five of the seven replacement players announced by the PCB have not played a single Test. "The series is lost, but we have nothing to lose. We should play freely and believe in ourselves as a team. We've practiced for a couple of days and explained things to the new boys. Any young player who comes in is excited, and that excitement is visible. I believe that will be visible in the match, too," said the skipper. Pakistan in WTC 2025–27 Pakistan are currently at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle's points table. The Asian team have played eight Tests in the cycle, winning only two of them and losing the remaining six. The third Test, even if Pakistan manage to win, won't really help them with their aspirations of playing in the WTC final, for which they are very much out of the race.

Babar Azam admitted being blindsided after Pakistan sacked their coaches, sent seven players home, and brought in five uncapped recruits amid mid-tour chaos following back-to-back Test losses to England.

'Ask them why': Pak skipper Babar Azam on PCB's wholesale changes after Lord's defeat

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pak-vs-eng-absolutely-ridiculous-pcb-faces-backlash-after-dropping-7-pakistan-players-and-coaches-mid-tour-in-england-1788252550558">drama around the Pakistan cricket team</a> continues to unfold, with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director of high performance, Aaqib Javed, now calling for an inquiry into batter Imam-ul-Haq. After losing the first two of three Tests, Pakistan sent back seven players from the squad and sacked red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed as well as bowling coach Umar Gul. The move came after Pakistan's 194-run loss in the second Test, which followed an innings defeat in the first Test. After the reshuffle, PCB selection committee member <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/misbah-ul-haq-resigns-pakistan-selector-pcb-lords-test-overhaul-1788266768336">Misbah-ul-Haq also resigned</a> from his post amid the ongoing meltdown over Pakistan's performance.<h2>PCB director of high performance Aaqib Javed lashes out at Imam</h2>In an interview with Pakistan-based broadcaster Geo, Aaqib called out Imam specifically for not batting in either inning of the second Test. Imam pulled out of batting due to a calf injury ahead of the second day's play. The PCB stated that the batter had suffered a calf tear and that his participation would be subject to a medical opinion. Imam, however, warmed up with the team on Day 4 and took some throwdowns, leading former England great Stuart Broad to call his actions "all for show" while talking on air.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pcb-issues-show-cause-notice-selectors-rizwan-imam-picks-1788279578988">PCB demands explanation within 24 hours from selectors over Rizwan, Imam picks</a>"The Imam injury is a big question mark and a deep disappointment," Aaqib said. "Players in the past used to get injuries, but they used to put on casts and still try [to play]. We'll take action against this. How is it possible that a pulled muscle ruled you out of batting in both innings? He should have tried and fought. He'll have to face an inquiry; I can't say he faked it, but a muscle pull like that cannot stop you from batting altogether."<h2>Why Pakistan <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-drop-7-players-release-coaches-eng-vs-pak-edgbaston-test-1788199115158">dropped seven players from squad and sacked coaches</a> mid-tour</h2>"No batter in our top seven bowls. We should have included an all-rounder, but most importantly, brought in Ubaid Shah, who bowls close to 140 kph. One fast bowler changes the composition of your attack. I understand dropping [Salman] Agha, who's out of form, but you should have played Ghazi Ghori instead of [Mohammad] Rizwan [as the wicketkeeper]. Someone had to take action. The world is laughing at us because we can't even compete. The message we're sending to the recalled players is that you have to raise your game on important tours and compete, and we should be able to see some effort," explained Aaqib.Pakistan dropped Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad. Meanwhile, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Razaullah, Saim Ayub, and Abdullah Fazal were called into the squad.The third Test of the series, for which all changes have been made, starts September 9 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

Following two heavy Test defeats, Pakistan sacked coaches Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul, dropped seven players, and triggered Misbah-ul-Haq's exit. PCB's Aaqib Javed ordering an inquiry into Imam-ul-Haq.

The drama around the Pakistan cricket team continues to unfold, with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director of high performance, Aaqib Javed, now calling for an inquiry into batter Imam-ul-Haq. After losing the first two of three Tests, Pakistan sent back seven players from the squad and sacked red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed as well as bowling coach Umar Gul. The move came after Pakistan's 194-run loss in the second Test, which followed an innings defeat in the first Test. After the reshuffle, PCB selection committee member Misbah-ul-Haq also resigned from his post amid the ongoing meltdown over Pakistan's performance. PCB director of high performance Aaqib Javed lashes out at Imam In an interview with Pakistan-based broadcaster Geo, Aaqib called out Imam specifically for not batting in either inning of the second Test. Imam pulled out of batting due to a calf injury ahead of the second day's play. The PCB stated that the batter had suffered a calf tear and that his participation would be subject to a medical opinion. Imam, however, warmed up with the team on Day 4 and took some throwdowns, leading former England great Stuart Broad to call his actions "all for show" while talking on air. Also Read - PCB demands explanation within 24 hours from selectors over Rizwan, Imam picks "The Imam injury is a big question mark and a deep disappointment," Aaqib said. "Players in the past used to get injuries, but they used to put on casts and still try [to play]. We'll take action against this. How is it possible that a pulled muscle ruled you out of batting in both innings? He should have tried and fought. He'll have to face an inquiry; I can't say he faked it, but a muscle pull like that cannot stop you from batting altogether." Why Pakistan dropped seven players from squad and sacked coaches mid-tour "No batter in our top seven bowls. We should have included an all-rounder, but most importantly, brought in Ubaid Shah, who bowls close to 140 kph. One fast bowler changes the composition of your attack. I understand dropping [Salman] Agha, who's out of form, but you should have played Ghazi Ghori instead of [Mohammad] Rizwan [as the wicketkeeper]. Someone had to take action. The world is laughing at us because we can't even compete. The message we're sending to the recalled players is that you have to raise your game on important tours and compete, and we should be able to see some effort," explained Aaqib. Pakistan dropped Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad. Meanwhile, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Razaullah, Saim Ayub, and Abdullah Fazal were called into the squad. The third Test of the series, for which all changes have been made, starts September 9 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

Following two heavy Test defeats, Pakistan sacked coaches Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul, dropped seven players, and triggered Misbah-ul-Haq's exit. PCB's Aaqib Javed ordering an inquiry into Imam-ul-Haq.

Meltdown in Pakistan cricket: PCB director of high performance Aaqib Javed explains reasoning behind dropping 7 players, sacking coaches

Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-drop-7-players-release-coaches-eng-vs-pak-edgbaston-test-1788199115158">cut loose seven players</a> after two Test losses against England might have been done with good intentions, but the move has attracted widespread criticism instead. PCB, after losing the first Test by an innings and the second Test by 194 runs, removed seven players from the third Test squad, which starts on September 9. Along with the players, including Salman Ali Agha who led the team in the first Test, Pakistan also removed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul as well.<h2>Former players and coaches call out PCB for sending back 7 players from England Test squad</h2>The move, which came on Monday (Aug 31), saw Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad being dropped, while Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Razaullah, as well as Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal were called into the squad.Also Watch - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-open-2026-what-an-honour-allen-iverson-reacts-after-naomi-osaka-round-1-outfit-pays-tribute-to-nba-legend-1788237425166">US Open 2026: Osaka's statement 'Iverson' look before 1st round win</a>As for the coaches, white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke replaced their red-ball counterparts, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul.The personnel change, however, didn't go down well with Mickey Arthur, former Pakistan coach, who wrote on X: "Absolutely ridiculous decisions by the PCB — this is the reason they are in the mess they are in because they constantly chop and change players, coaches and selectors and there is no stability! Planning, stability and structure = consistent performance."Former skipper Shoaib Malik called the players' treatment disrespectful and wrote on X: "The players dropped from the squad are still our national cricketers who have served Pakistan. Phrases like ‘sent on the first flight back’ are disrespectful. Accountability should start with those who broke the system, not with players especially those who were on the bench or have played 2-3 Test matches. Plus, accountability starts once a tour is done, not in the middle of it."Shahid Afridi also didn't mince his words and wrote: "Not sure what is the logic or reasoning behind this decision! Even the replacements make no sense – T20 players have been included for a Test match in England?"Pakistan, who have now lost 10 of their last 11 away Tests, will face England in the third and final Test on September 9 at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

The PCB faces severe backlash from former coaches and players after dropping seven players and changing coaching staff midway through the England Test series following back-to-back heavy defeats.

Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to cut loose seven players after two Test losses against England might have been done with good intentions, but the move has attracted widespread criticism instead. PCB, after losing the first Test by an innings and the second Test by 194 runs, removed seven players from the third Test squad, which starts on September 9. Along with the players, including Salman Ali Agha who led the team in the first Test, Pakistan also removed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul as well. Former players and coaches call out PCB for sending back 7 players from England Test squad The move, which came on Monday (Aug 31), saw Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad being dropped, while Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Razaullah, as well as Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal were called into the squad. Also Watch - US Open 2026: Osaka's statement 'Iverson' look before 1st round win As for the coaches, white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke replaced their red-ball counterparts, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul. The personnel change, however, didn't go down well with Mickey Arthur, former Pakistan coach, who wrote on X: "Absolutely ridiculous decisions by the PCB — this is the reason they are in the mess they are in because they constantly chop and change players, coaches and selectors and there is no stability! Planning, stability and structure = consistent performance." Former skipper Shoaib Malik called the players' treatment disrespectful and wrote on X: "The players dropped from the squad are still our national cricketers who have served Pakistan. Phrases like ‘sent on the first flight back’ are disrespectful. Accountability should start with those who broke the system, not with players especially those who were on the bench or have played 2-3 Test matches. Plus, accountability starts once a tour is done, not in the middle of it." Shahid Afridi also didn't mince his words and wrote: "Not sure what is the logic or reasoning behind this decision! Even the replacements make no sense – T20 players have been included for a Test match in England?" Pakistan, who have now lost 10 of their last 11 away Tests, will face England in the third and final Test on September 9 at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

The PCB faces severe backlash from former coaches and players after dropping seven players and changing coaching staff midway through the England Test series following back-to-back heavy defeats.

'Absolutely ridiculous': PCB faces backlash after dropping 7 Pakistan players and coaches mid-tour in England

England will face Pakistan in the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Tuesday (Feb 24) at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele. England, who have won the title twice, can secure a place in the semi-finals with another strong performance. Led by Harry Brook, the team beat Sri Lanka on Sunday in difficult pitch conditions and the victory earned them two important points and moved them closer to the last four. Pakistan’s first Super 8 match against New Zealand was washed out by rain in Colombo. Now, Pakistan will be hoping to beat England so they do not face a must-win situation against Sri Lanka later in Group 2.&nbsp;Historically, Pakistan have struggled against England in T20 internationals, winning only nine of the 31 matches played between the two sides, while losing 21. &nbsp;&nbsp;As the crucial T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight match between Pakistan and England approaching, here’s all you need to know about both sides, including live streaming, broadcast details, squads and other key information.<h2>PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 - Live streaming details</h2><h2>Where to watch PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 live?</h2>The T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight match between Pakistan and England will be shown live on the Star Sports Network in India.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cape-town-return-australia-to-play-first-test-series-in-south-africa-since-2018-full-schedule-inside-1771847100771">CSA announce marquee schedule for home season; AUS set to tour after 8 years</a><h2>Where to livestream PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match?</h2>The fans can watch the live streaming of the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight match between Pakistan and England on the JioHotstar app and website in India.<h2>PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 - Head-to-head</h2>Pakistan and England have faced each other 31 times in T20 Internationals. England hold a strong advantage with 21 wins, while Pakistan have won nine match. One match ended without a result.<h2>PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 - Pitch Report</h2>The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele usually has a flat pitch that favors batsmen early on but tends to slow down as the game goes on, giving spinners an advantage. While the surface provides consistent bounce at the start, it becomes slower and more responsive to spin later, making it ideal for spin bowlers. Average T20I scores at the venue range between 162 and 172.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/they-came-out-with-overconfidence-sunil-gavaskar-on-india-s-t20-world-cup-defeat-vs-south-africa-1771840233069">'They came out with overconfidence...': Gavaskar on India’s T20 WC defeat vs SA</a><h2>PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 - Weather Report</h2>According to the reports, Pallekele may experience light showers on Tuesday (Feb 24), putting the Pakistan vs England T20 World Cup 2026 clash in doubt. There is also about a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms.<h2>PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8- Squads</h2>Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (C), Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Usman Khan (WK), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq, Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah, Salman Mirza and Khawaja Nafay&nbsp;England: Harry Brook (c), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid,Phil Salt, Josh Tongue and Luke Wood

Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight match between Pakistan and England, here’s all you need to know about both sides, including live streaming, broadcast details, squads and other key information.

England will face Pakistan in the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Tuesday (Feb 24) at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele. England, who have won the title twice, can secure a place in the semi-finals with another strong performance. Led by Harry Brook, the team beat Sri Lanka on Sunday in difficult pitch conditions and the victory earned them two important points and moved them closer to the last four. Pakistan’s first Super 8 match against New Zealand was washed out by rain in Colombo. Now, Pakistan will be hoping to beat England so they do not face a must-win situation against Sri Lanka later in Group 2. Historically, Pakistan have struggled against England in T20 internationals, winning only nine of the 31 matches played between the two sides, while losing 21. As the crucial T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight match between Pakistan and England approaching, here’s all you need to know about both sides, including live streaming, broadcast details, squads and other key information. PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 - Live streaming details Where to watch PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 live? The T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight match between Pakistan and England will be shown live on the Star Sports Network in India. Also Read - CSA announce marquee schedule for home season; AUS set to tour after 8 years Where to livestream PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match? The fans can watch the live streaming of the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight match between Pakistan and England on the JioHotstar app and website in India. PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 - Head-to-head Pakistan and England have faced each other 31 times in T20 Internationals. England hold a strong advantage with 21 wins, while Pakistan have won nine match. One match ended without a result. PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 - Pitch Report The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele usually has a flat pitch that favors batsmen early on but tends to slow down as the game goes on, giving spinners an advantage. While the surface provides consistent bounce at the start, it becomes slower and more responsive to spin later, making it ideal for spin bowlers. Average T20I scores at the venue range between 162 and 172. Also Read - 'They came out with overconfidence...': Gavaskar on India’s T20 WC defeat vs SA PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 - Weather Report According to the reports, Pallekele may experience light showers on Tuesday (Feb 24), putting the Pakistan vs England T20 World Cup 2026 clash in doubt. There is also about a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms. PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8- Squads Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (C), Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Usman Khan (WK), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq, Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah, Salman Mirza and Khawaja Nafay England: Harry Brook (c), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid,Phil Salt, Josh Tongue and Luke Wood

Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight match between Pakistan and England, here’s all you need to know about both sides, including live streaming, broadcast details, squads and other key information.

PAK vs ENG, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8: Check live streaming details, head-to-head, pitch & weather report

Pakistan spinners are on a dream run as the hosts look to win the third Test match in Rawalpindi as England struggle to keep pace. After Day 2 in Rawalpindi, England are 24/3 in their second innings, trailing by 53 runs. Pakistan spinners were once again on the top with Noman Ali (9/2) and Sajid Khan (14/1) running the show. A win for either side will see them win the series as Pakistan currently have the advantage after the early collapse of the visitors in the second innings.

<h2>Pakistan on top</h2>

Having started the day at 46/3 on Day 2, Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel was the hero of the innings as he scored 134. His innings propelled Pakistan to 344, courtesy of which they took a lead of 77 runs. He was given a great helping hand by Sajid Khan (48) and Noman Ali (45) despite Pakistan being 177/7 at one stage. Shakeel and Noman stitched a partnership of 88 runs for the eighth wicket before Shakeel and Sajid had a stand of 72 runs.

Rehan Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers for England as he scalped four wickets while fellow spinner Shoaib Bashir’s spell ended with three wickets. Gus Atkinson (22/2) and Jack Leach (105/1) were also among the wicket-takers.

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<h2>England collapse in second innings</h2>

Trailing by 77 runs after the first innings, it was not a great start for England in the final session of Day 2. England lost Zak Crawley (2), Ben Duckett (12) and Ollie Pope (1) in just nine overs as they closed the day at 24/3. Multan Test match heroes Harry Brook (3) and Joe Root (1) are in the middle at Stumps on Day 2. The visitors still trail by 53 runs and need a good partnership to save the match and series.

Noman Ali (9/2) and Sajid Khan (14/1) were the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan as they will look to pocket the series.

Pakistan spinners are on a dream run as the hosts look to win the third Test match in Rawalpindi as England struggle to keep pace. After Day 2 in Rawalpindi, England are 24/3 in their second innings, trailing by 53 runs.

Pakistan spinners are on a dream run as the hosts look to win the third Test match in Rawalpindi as England struggle to keep pace. After Day 2 in Rawalpindi, England are 24/3 in their second innings, trailing by 53 runs. Pakistan spinners were once again on the top with Noman Ali (9/2) and Sajid Khan (14/1) running the show. A win for either side will see them win the series as Pakistan currently have the advantage after the early collapse of the visitors in the second innings. Pakistan on top Having started the day at 46/3 on Day 2, Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel was the hero of the innings as he scored 134. His innings propelled Pakistan to 344, courtesy of which they took a lead of 77 runs. He was given a great helping hand by Sajid Khan (48) and Noman Ali (45) despite Pakistan being 177/7 at one stage. Shakeel and Noman stitched a partnership of 88 runs for the eighth wicket before Shakeel and Sajid had a stand of 72 runs. Rehan Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers for England as he scalped four wickets while fellow spinner Shoaib Bashir’s spell ended with three wickets. Gus Atkinson (22/2) and Jack Leach (105/1) were also among the wicket-takers. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ: Advantage New Zealand in Pune Test after Indian batters disappoint on Day 2 England collapse in second innings Trailing by 77 runs after the first innings, it was not a great start for England in the final session of Day 2. England lost Zak Crawley (2), Ben Duckett (12) and Ollie Pope (1) in just nine overs as they closed the day at 24/3. Multan Test match heroes Harry Brook (3) and Joe Root (1) are in the middle at Stumps on Day 2. The visitors still trail by 53 runs and need a good partnership to save the match and series. Noman Ali (9/2) and Sajid Khan (14/1) were the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan as they will look to pocket the series.

PAK vs ENG: Spinners run the show for Pakistan as England fight to save Rawalpindi Test

Pakistan dominated Day 1 of the Rawalpindi Test match as Sajid Khan bagged another five-for against England on Thursday (Oct 24). Playing at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan bowled out England for&nbsp;267 before closing at 73/3. Sajid was also the Player of the Match in the second Test at&nbsp;Multan, which ended the host's three-year wait for a win on home soil.

<h2>Sajid Khan steals the show</h2>

Having played a pivotal role in the second Test match, Sajid was again at his best on Thursday as he got the better of top batters Ollie Pope (3), Joe Root (5) and Harry Brook (5).&nbsp;His spell proved to be crucial as Pakistan had England at bay. With the visitors struggling at 98/5, Jamie Smith (89) and returning Gus Atkinson (39) stitched an important stand of 107 runs for the seventh wicket and&nbsp;helped England cross 200.

On the other hand, Noman Ali also was at his best as he ended with figures of 88/3. Noman had scalped 11 wickets in the second Test in Multan and like Sajid played another crucial role in helping the side bowl out England.

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After bowling out the visitors, Pakistan could not consolidate on the bowling heroics as they lost three wickets before Stumps on Day 1. After being 35/0, Pakistan lost three wickets in a span of four overs and were 46/3. Jack Leach, Atkinson and Shoaib Bashir all ended with one wicket each, with Pakistan ending the day at 73/3. Skipper Shan Masood (16) and Saud Shakeel (16) are in the middle and will look for a good start on Day 2.

Both teams will be looking for a win&nbsp;considering the series is currently level at 1-1. A win for either side will see them pocket the series. Pakistan haven’t won a Test series on home soil since February 2021, enduring a winless drought of about four years.

Pakistan dominated Day 1 of the Rawalpindi Test match as Sajid Khan bagged another five-for against England on Thursday (Oct 24). Playing at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan bowled out England for 267 before closing at 73/3.

Pakistan dominated Day 1 of the Rawalpindi Test match as Sajid Khan bagged another five-for against England on Thursday (Oct 24). Playing at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan bowled out England for 267 before closing at 73/3. Sajid was also the Player of the Match in the second Test at Multan, which ended the host's three-year wait for a win on home soil. Sajid Khan steals the show Having played a pivotal role in the second Test match, Sajid was again at his best on Thursday as he got the better of top batters Ollie Pope (3), Joe Root (5) and Harry Brook (5). His spell proved to be crucial as Pakistan had England at bay. With the visitors struggling at 98/5, Jamie Smith (89) and returning Gus Atkinson (39) stitched an important stand of 107 runs for the seventh wicket and helped England cross 200. On the other hand, Noman Ali also was at his best as he ended with figures of 88/3. Noman had scalped 11 wickets in the second Test in Multan and like Sajid played another crucial role in helping the side bowl out England. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ, 2nd Test: Washington Sundar picks seven wickets on return to Indian team, repays selectors' faith After bowling out the visitors, Pakistan could not consolidate on the bowling heroics as they lost three wickets before Stumps on Day 1. After being 35/0, Pakistan lost three wickets in a span of four overs and were 46/3. Jack Leach, Atkinson and Shoaib Bashir all ended with one wicket each, with Pakistan ending the day at 73/3. Skipper Shan Masood (16) and Saud Shakeel (16) are in the middle and will look for a good start on Day 2. Both teams will be looking for a win considering the series is currently level at 1-1. A win for either side will see them pocket the series. Pakistan haven’t won a Test series on home soil since February 2021, enduring a winless drought of about four years.

PAK vs ENG: Sajid Khan stars with ball as Pakistan dominate England on Day 1

England will look to bounce back from their defeat in the second Test match at Multan as they take on hosts Pakistan in the series decider. With the series level at 1-1, both teams will have the opportunity to pocket the series with a win in Rawalpindi. Ahead of the series decider between Pakistan and England, here are all the details of the contest, including live streaming, squads, and others.

<h2>When is the Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match?</h2>

The Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match will start on Thursday (Oct 24).

<h2>Which stadium will host the Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match?</h2>

The Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.

<h2>What time will the Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match start?</h2>

The Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match will start at 10:30 AM local time (10:00 AM IST) with the toss taking place at 10:00 AM local time (9:30 AM IST).

<h2>Where to watch the Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match on TV?</h2>

The Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match will not be telecast&nbsp;in India.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-nz-2nd-test-live-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-india-vs-new-zealand-penultimate-contest-in-pune-769950">Ind vs NZ, 2nd Test Live Streaming: When and where to watch India vs New Zealand penultimate contest in Pune</a>

<h2>Where to watch the Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match on OTT?</h2>

The Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match will be live streamed on the FanCode app and website in India.

<h2>Squads:</h2>

Pakistan&nbsp;Squad: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (w), Agha Salman, Aamer Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood, Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Ali, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mehran Mumtaz.

England&nbsp;Squad: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (w), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Jordan Cox.

England will look to bounce back from their defeat in the second Test match at Multan as they take on hosts Pakistan in the series decider. With the series level at 1-1, both teams will have the opportunity to pocket the series with a win in Rawalpindi.

England will look to bounce back from their defeat in the second Test match at Multan as they take on hosts Pakistan in the series decider. With the series level at 1-1, both teams will have the opportunity to pocket the series with a win in Rawalpindi. Ahead of the series decider between Pakistan and England, here are all the details of the contest, including live streaming, squads, and others. When is the Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match? The Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match will start on Thursday (Oct 24). Which stadium will host the Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match? The Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. What time will the Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match start? The Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match will start at 10:30 AM local time (10:00 AM IST) with the toss taking place at 10:00 AM local time (9:30 AM IST). Where to watch the Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match on TV? The Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match will not be telecast in India. ALSO READ | Ind vs NZ, 2nd Test Live Streaming: When and where to watch India vs New Zealand penultimate contest in Pune Where to watch the Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match on OTT? The Pakistan vs England 3rd Test match will be live streamed on the FanCode app and website in India. Squads: Pakistan Squad: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (w), Agha Salman, Aamer Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood, Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Ali, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mehran Mumtaz. England Squad: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (w), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Jordan Cox.

PAK vs ENG, 3rd Test match Live Streaming: When, where & how to watch Pakistan vs England Live on laptop

England have added Rehan Ahmed and Gus Atkinson to their Playing XI for the Rawalpindi Test as they prepare for the showdown clash. Having lost the second Multan Test by 152 runs, the English management has included three spinners considering the spin-friendly nature of the pitch in Rawalpindi. Ahmed will be available for the first time since February, having last played in the Rajkot Test against India, while Atkinson returns after skipping the first Test in Multan.

<h2>England announce squad for Rawalpindi Test</h2>

With the series level at 1-1, England anticipated the need for three spin bowlers&nbsp;and roped in Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir. Atkinson will share the pace bowling duties with skipper Ben Stokes, who are the only options in that department. England have, however, retained faith in Ollie Pope, Joe Root and Harry Brook as they remain the untouchables in the side.

England won the first match in Multan by an innings and 47 runs, where records were broken left, right, and centre. Brook scored 317 while Root ended with 262 runs as Pakistan lost despite scoring 556 runs in their first innings.

On the other hand, Sajid Khan (nine wickets) and Noman Ali (11 wickets) were the architects of the Pakistan win in the second Multan Test. The win was also Pakistan’s first on home turf in three years, and they now aim for their first series win on home soil in Test format since 2005.

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The second Test match will start on Thursday (Oct 24) with points up for stake in the World Test Championship (WTC). Both sides are virtually out of the WTC final race but will look to add to their tally by winning the series.

<h2>England Squad</h2>

1. Zak Crawley, 2. Ben Duckett, 3. Ollie Pope, 4. Joe Root, 5. Harry Brook, 6. Ben Stokes (capt), 7. Jamie Smith (wk), 8. Gus Atkinson, 9. Rehan Ahmed, 10. Jack Leach, 11. Shoaib Bashir.

England have added Rehan Ahmed and Gus Atkinson to their Playing XI for the Rawalpindi Test as they prepare for the showdown clash. Having lost the second Multan Test by 152 runs, the English management has included three spinners considering the spin-friendly nature of the pitch in Rawalpindi.

England have added Rehan Ahmed and Gus Atkinson to their Playing XI for the Rawalpindi Test as they prepare for the showdown clash. Having lost the second Multan Test by 152 runs, the English management has included three spinners considering the spin-friendly nature of the pitch in Rawalpindi. Ahmed will be available for the first time since February, having last played in the Rajkot Test against India, while Atkinson returns after skipping the first Test in Multan. England announce squad for Rawalpindi Test With the series level at 1-1, England anticipated the need for three spin bowlers and roped in Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir. Atkinson will share the pace bowling duties with skipper Ben Stokes, who are the only options in that department. England have, however, retained faith in Ollie Pope, Joe Root and Harry Brook as they remain the untouchables in the side. England won the first match in Multan by an innings and 47 runs, where records were broken left, right, and centre. Brook scored 317 while Root ended with 262 runs as Pakistan lost despite scoring 556 runs in their first innings. On the other hand, Sajid Khan (nine wickets) and Noman Ali (11 wickets) were the architects of the Pakistan win in the second Multan Test. The win was also Pakistan’s first on home turf in three years, and they now aim for their first series win on home soil in Test format since 2005. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma lauds Sarfaraz, Pant for mature knocks; backs India to give it all in remaining two Tests vs NZ The second Test match will start on Thursday (Oct 24) with points up for stake in the World Test Championship (WTC). Both sides are virtually out of the WTC final race but will look to add to their tally by winning the series. England Squad 1. Zak Crawley, 2. Ben Duckett, 3. Ollie Pope, 4. Joe Root, 5. Harry Brook, 6. Ben Stokes (capt), 7. Jamie Smith (wk), 8. Gus Atkinson, 9. Rehan Ahmed, 10. Jack Leach, 11. Shoaib Bashir.

PAK vs ENG: Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson included in England Playing XI for Rawalpindi Test

England captain Ben Stokes has issued an apology to his side after they were beaten by 152 runs in the second Test match against Pakistan on Friday (Oct 18). Playing at the Multan Cricket Stadium the&nbsp;defeat comes as a huge disappointment for the visitors while they dismantled Pakistan at the same venue last week in the first Test match. After the match, Stokes confessed to the same with the series now moving to the decider.

<h2>Stokes issues apology</h2>

"I actually apologised to the group up there last night," Stokes said afterwards. "It's the first time in my captaincy that I've let my emotions show in my body language, with how I was feeling as the game was unfolding. I owned up to that, and I'm very annoyed at myself for letting that out.”

England had enjoyed a great run heading into the second Test as they won by an innings and 47 runs. They were hot favourites to win the second Test and pocket the series, however, a rejuvenated Pakistan won the match after some smart decision-making. Having been restricted to 291 runs in the first innings, Stokes and Co were bowled out for 144 on Day 4 of the Test match, in the process losing the Test match.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/noman-ali-and-sajid-khan-put-up-colossal-effort-to-see-pakistan-through-in-second-test-vs-eng-level-series-768619">Noman Ali and Sajid Khan put up colossal effort to see Pakistan through in second Test vs ENG, level series</a>

The English side was slammed for poor decision-making and were all over the place in terms of shot selection.

On the other hand, the win was Pakistan’s first in 2024 and the first under Shan Masood after being appointed as the captain of the Test side. Sajid Khan and Noman Ali were the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan with the latter scalping 11 wickets but was not given the Player of the Match in favour of the former. Noman ended with figures of 46/8 in the second innings while Sajid had figures of 111/7 in the first innings.

England captain Ben Stokes has issued an apology to his side after they were beaten by 152 runs in the second Test match against Pakistan on Friday (Oct 18). Playing at the Multan Cricket Stadium the defeat comes as a huge disappointment for the visitors while they dismantled Pakistan at the same venue last week in the first Test match.

England captain Ben Stokes has issued an apology to his side after they were beaten by 152 runs in the second Test match against Pakistan on Friday (Oct 18). Playing at the Multan Cricket Stadium the defeat comes as a huge disappointment for the visitors while they dismantled Pakistan at the same venue last week in the first Test match. After the match, Stokes confessed to the same with the series now moving to the decider. Stokes issues apology "I actually apologised to the group up there last night," Stokes said afterwards. "It's the first time in my captaincy that I've let my emotions show in my body language, with how I was feeling as the game was unfolding. I owned up to that, and I'm very annoyed at myself for letting that out.” England had enjoyed a great run heading into the second Test as they won by an innings and 47 runs. They were hot favourites to win the second Test and pocket the series, however, a rejuvenated Pakistan won the match after some smart decision-making. Having been restricted to 291 runs in the first innings, Stokes and Co were bowled out for 144 on Day 4 of the Test match, in the process losing the Test match. ALSO READ | Noman Ali and Sajid Khan put up colossal effort to see Pakistan through in second Test vs ENG, level series The English side was slammed for poor decision-making and were all over the place in terms of shot selection. On the other hand, the win was Pakistan’s first in 2024 and the first under Shan Masood after being appointed as the captain of the Test side. Sajid Khan and Noman Ali were the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan with the latter scalping 11 wickets but was not given the Player of the Match in favour of the former. Noman ended with figures of 46/8 in the second innings while Sajid had figures of 111/7 in the first innings.

PAK vs ENG: England skipper Ben Stokes issues apology after lackluster show in Multan Test

England's ambitions of winning yet another Test series on Pakistan soil took a massive dent after they started on a poor note in their second innings on Thursday (Oct 17). Needing 297 to win against Pakistan, England are 36/2 at Stumps on Day 3 and will need a good partnership if they are to wrap the series against Pakistan. After Day 3, England assistant coach, Paul Collingwood has backed his team to come good and be realistic about&nbsp;their chances to win the second Test in Multan against Pakistan.

<h2>'We have got to be realistic'</h2>

England assistant coach Paul Collingwood, speaking to Sky Sports: "We have got to be realistic. It is going to be difficult.

"There will be belief in the dressing room. We have done some special things in the past we have broken records. We have got to be realistic as well that it will be a tough, tough chase."

England need 261 runs more to win the Test match with eight wickets in hand in Multan and a result is possible on Friday with the Bazball approach of the visitors. Ben Stokes’ side lead the series 1-0 having beaten Pakistan at the same venue last week while records tumbled left, right and centre.

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However, this time the hosts are in a far better position as they need eight wickets to win the match. Having scored 221 with the bat in their second innings, Pakistan gave a 297-run target to the visitors to chase. Earlier, Pakistan had established a 75-run lead over England after Stokes and Co were bowled out for 291 in their first innings. Sajid Khan bagged seven wickets in the innings and also bagged Ben Duckett in their second innings.

England were bowled out for 291 in their first innings with only Duckett showing resilience with bat as he scored 114.

England's ambitions of winning yet another Test series on Pakistan soil took a massive dent after they started on a poor note in their second innings on Thursday (Oct 17).

England's ambitions of winning yet another Test series on Pakistan soil took a massive dent after they started on a poor note in their second innings on Thursday (Oct 17). Needing 297 to win against Pakistan, England are 36/2 at Stumps on Day 3 and will need a good partnership if they are to wrap the series against Pakistan. After Day 3, England assistant coach, Paul Collingwood has backed his team to come good and be realistic about their chances to win the second Test in Multan against Pakistan. 'We have got to be realistic' England assistant coach Paul Collingwood, speaking to Sky Sports: "We have got to be realistic. It is going to be difficult. "There will be belief in the dressing room. We have done some special things in the past we have broken records. We have got to be realistic as well that it will be a tough, tough chase." England need 261 runs more to win the Test match with eight wickets in hand in Multan and a result is possible on Friday with the Bazball approach of the visitors. Ben Stokes’ side lead the series 1-0 having beaten Pakistan at the same venue last week while records tumbled left, right and centre. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ: Rishabh Pant limps off with knee injury, mounts pressure on Team India ahead of Australia tour However, this time the hosts are in a far better position as they need eight wickets to win the match. Having scored 221 with the bat in their second innings, Pakistan gave a 297-run target to the visitors to chase. Earlier, Pakistan had established a 75-run lead over England after Stokes and Co were bowled out for 291 in their first innings. Sajid Khan bagged seven wickets in the innings and also bagged Ben Duckett in their second innings. England were bowled out for 291 in their first innings with only Duckett showing resilience with bat as he scored 114.

PAK vs ENG: Paul Collingwood backs England to bounce back after poor start, says 'we have got to be realistic'

On Day 1 of the second Test between Pakistan and England, Shan Masood-led ended proceedings at 259 for 5 after opting to bat first in Multan. The hosts are under pressure after losing the first Test, also held in Multan, by an innings despite posting 556. Following the series opener, the PCB announced that Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah are being rested for the remainder of the Test series. This led to widespread reactions from all corners and former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja also spoke at length on Babar's omission during the opening day's play of the second and penultimate tie on Tuesday (Oct 15).

Ramiz, while speaking to Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain on the sidelines of the second Test, said, "It should have been Babar’s call (to be given rest) whether he wanted time out of the playing XI or not. It was a kneejerk reaction, new selectors in. The general opinion was he needed rest and he was taken out of the squad completely."

Notably, Babar has been woefully out of form in Tests, having scored his last half-century in whites in Dec 2022. He has played 18 innings without a 50-plus score and returned with scores of 30 and 5 in the series opener. Thus, he was rested for the remainder of the series.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-nz-bumrah-always-part-of-leadership-group-rohit-on-rumours-of-captaincy-takeover-for-perth-test-767684">Ind vs NZ: Bumrah always part of leadership group - Rohit on rumours of captaincy takeover for Perth Test</a>

Ramiz further opined, "We need to understand he sells cricket for Pakistan and there is always this debate happening in Pakistan on whether it’s going to be another failure for Babar Azam or whether he is going to make a comeback and that keeps things interesting." He added, "Right now, I don’t see any sellable commodity in this Pakistan team. The sponsors are a little wary as well because Pakistan have been on a losing sequence and there are no real superstars playing in this Test match."

Pakistan trail England 1-0 in the three-match Test series and Masood &amp; Co. are under severe pressure, having not won a Test on home soil since early 2022.

On Day 1 of the second Test between Pakistan and England, Shan Masood-led ended proceedings at 259 for 5 after opting to bat first in Multan. The hosts are under pressure after losing the first Test, also held in Multan, by an innings despite posting 556.

On Day 1 of the second Test between Pakistan and England, Shan Masood-led ended proceedings at 259 for 5 after opting to bat first in Multan. The hosts are under pressure after losing the first Test, also held in Multan, by an innings despite posting 556. Following the series opener, the PCB announced that Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah are being rested for the remainder of the Test series. This led to widespread reactions from all corners and former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja also spoke at length on Babar's omission during the opening day's play of the second and penultimate tie on Tuesday (Oct 15). Ramiz, while speaking to Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain on the sidelines of the second Test, said, "It should have been Babar’s call (to be given rest) whether he wanted time out of the playing XI or not. It was a kneejerk reaction, new selectors in. The general opinion was he needed rest and he was taken out of the squad completely." Notably, Babar has been woefully out of form in Tests, having scored his last half-century in whites in Dec 2022. He has played 18 innings without a 50-plus score and returned with scores of 30 and 5 in the series opener. Thus, he was rested for the remainder of the series. Also read: Ind vs NZ: Bumrah always part of leadership group - Rohit on rumours of captaincy takeover for Perth Test Ramiz further opined, "We need to understand he sells cricket for Pakistan and there is always this debate happening in Pakistan on whether it’s going to be another failure for Babar Azam or whether he is going to make a comeback and that keeps things interesting." He added, "Right now, I don’t see any sellable commodity in this Pakistan team. The sponsors are a little wary as well because Pakistan have been on a losing sequence and there are no real superstars playing in this Test match." Pakistan trail England 1-0 in the three-match Test series and Masood & Co. are under severe pressure, having not won a Test on home soil since early 2022.

Pak vs Eng, 2nd Test: He sells cricket for Pakistan, says Ramiz Raja on Babar Azam being rested

Underfire Shan Masood-led Pakistan will host England in the second and penultimate Test on Tuesday (Oct 15). The hosts are on the mat following their dramatic loss by an innings and 47 runs at the hands of Ollie Pope-led visitors despite posting 556 after opting to bat first, in Multan. Riding on centuries from Masood, Abdullah Shafique, and Agha Salman, Pakistan posted over 550, however, England declared at 823 for 7. Harry Brook (317) and Joe Root (262) hammered the Pakistani bowlers to all parts of the ground as the visitors took a healthy 267-run lead.&nbsp;

In their second innings, Pakistan crumbled under pressure and got dismissed for 220 to become the first&nbsp;team to lose&nbsp;by an innings after scoring 500-plus in the first innings. 
 
Masood &amp; Co. are under immense pressure to avoid another series loss at home.

Both teams have announced their playing XI ahead of the penultimate contest. It will be interesting to see if Pakistan are able to make a comeback or whether England will continue to call the shots.&nbsp;

<h2>HERE IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LIVE STREAMING DETAILS FOR THE 2ND TEST -</h2>

When is the Pakistan vs England 2nd Test?

The Pakistan vs England 2nd Test&nbsp;will be held on Tuesday (Oct 15).

Which stadium will host the Pakistan vs England 2nd Test?

The Pakistan vs England 2nd Test will be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan.&nbsp;

At what time will the Pakistan vs England 2nd Test commence?

Day 1 of the Pakistan vs England 2nd Test will start at 10:30 AM IST.

Where to watch the Pakistan vs England 2nd Test on TV?

The Pakistan vs England 2nd Test will not be telecast&nbsp;in India.

Where to watch the Pakistan vs England 2nd Test&nbsp;match on OTT?

The Pakistan vs England 2nd Test will be live-streamed on&nbsp;FanCode app and website (with a nominal fee).

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pak-vs-eng-2nd-test-ben-stokes-returns-from-injury-as-england-announce-playing-xi-vs-underfire-hosts-767280">Pak vs Eng, 2nd Test: Ben Stokes returns from injury as England announce playing XI vs underfire hosts</a>

Playing XIs:

Pakistan:&nbsp;Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Zahid Mahmood

England:&nbsp;Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes(c), Jamie Smith(w), Matthew Potts, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir

Underfire Shan Masood-led Pakistan will host England in the second and penultimate Test on Tuesday (Oct 15). The hosts are on the mat following their dramatic loss by an innings and 47 runs at the hands of Ollie Pope-led visitors despite posting 556 after opting to bat first, in Multan.

Underfire Shan Masood-led Pakistan will host England in the second and penultimate Test on Tuesday (Oct 15). The hosts are on the mat following their dramatic loss by an innings and 47 runs at the hands of Ollie Pope-led visitors despite posting 556 after opting to bat first, in Multan. Riding on centuries from Masood, Abdullah Shafique, and Agha Salman, Pakistan posted over 550, however, England declared at 823 for 7. Harry Brook (317) and Joe Root (262) hammered the Pakistani bowlers to all parts of the ground as the visitors took a healthy 267-run lead. In their second innings, Pakistan crumbled under pressure and got dismissed for 220 to become the first team to lose by an innings after scoring 500-plus in the first innings. Masood & Co. are under immense pressure to avoid another series loss at home. Both teams have announced their playing XI ahead of the penultimate contest. It will be interesting to see if Pakistan are able to make a comeback or whether England will continue to call the shots. HERE IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LIVE STREAMING DETAILS FOR THE 2ND TEST - When is the Pakistan vs England 2nd Test? The Pakistan vs England 2nd Test will be held on Tuesday (Oct 15). Which stadium will host the Pakistan vs England 2nd Test? The Pakistan vs England 2nd Test will be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan. At what time will the Pakistan vs England 2nd Test commence? Day 1 of the Pakistan vs England 2nd Test will start at 10:30 AM IST. Where to watch the Pakistan vs England 2nd Test on TV? The Pakistan vs England 2nd Test will not be telecast in India. Where to watch the Pakistan vs England 2nd Test match on OTT? The Pakistan vs England 2nd Test will be live-streamed on FanCode app and website (with a nominal fee). Also read: Pak vs Eng, 2nd Test: Ben Stokes returns from injury as England announce playing XI vs underfire hosts Playing XIs: Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Zahid Mahmood England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes(c), Jamie Smith(w), Matthew Potts, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir

Pak vs Eng, 2nd Test Live Streaming: When and where to watch Pakistan vs England penultimate tie

On Monday (Oct 14), England announced their playing XI for the second and penultimate Test versus Pakistan&nbsp;in Multan, with regular captain Ben Stokes making a comeback from a hamstring injury. Further, pacer Matthew Potts is also part of the XI, replacing Gus Atkinson. Thus, Stokes returns for his first Test since missing England's home series versus Sri Lanka. He got injured during The Hundred, and, as a result, missed the Lanka series before the end of the English summer. Talking about the first Test versus Pakistan, in Multan, Ollie Pope-led side thrashed the home team by an innings and 47 runs.

England squad for 2nd Test:

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (w), Matthew Potts, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/womens-t20-world-cup-pak-vs-nz-live-streaming-when-how-to-watch-pakistan-vs-new-zealand-clash-767234">Women's T20 World Cup, Pak vs NZ Live Streaming: When &amp; how to watch Pakistan vs New Zealand clash</a>

England have removed Woakes and Atkinson from the XI. The latter bowled 39 overs in the series opener, also held in Multan, whereas Woakes bowled 38. With the same kind of surface expected for the second Test, which will favour the batters, England have decided to rest the duo, who has played all the matches in England’s home summer so far, and, thus, Potts comes in for Atkinson whereas Stokes replaces Woakes.

Meanwhile, opener Ben Duckett -- who&nbsp;dislocated his thumb while fielding in the first innings of the Multan Test, and came in later at No 4, has retained his spot at the top.&nbsp;Jamie Smith, on the other hand, is expected to&nbsp;be back at&nbsp;No. 7 to accommodate Stokes in his preferred No. 6 position.

The first Test saw Shan Masood-led Pakistan lose by an innings despite posting 556 after opting to bat first. In response, England smashed 823/7 -- the fourth-highest score in Test cricket -- and dismissed the hosts for 220 to earn a stunning win. Harry Brook (317) and Joe Root (262) were the standout performers for England.&nbsp;Batters will once again be expected to shine bright at the same venue in the second Test.

On Monday (Oct 14), England announced their playing XI for the second and penultimate Test versus Pakistan in Multan, with regular captain Ben Stokes making a comeback from a hamstring injury.

On Monday (Oct 14), England announced their playing XI for the second and penultimate Test versus Pakistan in Multan, with regular captain Ben Stokes making a comeback from a hamstring injury. Further, pacer Matthew Potts is also part of the XI, replacing Gus Atkinson. Thus, Stokes returns for his first Test since missing England's home series versus Sri Lanka. He got injured during The Hundred, and, as a result, missed the Lanka series before the end of the English summer. Talking about the first Test versus Pakistan, in Multan, Ollie Pope-led side thrashed the home team by an innings and 47 runs. England squad for 2nd Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (w), Matthew Potts, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir Also read: Women's T20 World Cup, Pak vs NZ Live Streaming: When & how to watch Pakistan vs New Zealand clash England have removed Woakes and Atkinson from the XI. The latter bowled 39 overs in the series opener, also held in Multan, whereas Woakes bowled 38. With the same kind of surface expected for the second Test, which will favour the batters, England have decided to rest the duo, who has played all the matches in England’s home summer so far, and, thus, Potts comes in for Atkinson whereas Stokes replaces Woakes. Meanwhile, opener Ben Duckett -- who dislocated his thumb while fielding in the first innings of the Multan Test, and came in later at No 4, has retained his spot at the top. Jamie Smith, on the other hand, is expected to be back at No. 7 to accommodate Stokes in his preferred No. 6 position. The first Test saw Shan Masood-led Pakistan lose by an innings despite posting 556 after opting to bat first. In response, England smashed 823/7 -- the fourth-highest score in Test cricket -- and dismissed the hosts for 220 to earn a stunning win. Harry Brook (317) and Joe Root (262) were the standout performers for England. Batters will once again be expected to shine bright at the same venue in the second Test.

Pak vs Eng, 2nd Test: Ben Stokes returns from injury as England announce playing XI vs underfire hosts

On Sunday (Oct 13), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) didn't name Babar Azam in the squad for the second and third Tests between Pakistan and England&nbsp;at home. Along with him, the board did not include Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah for the remainder of the England series. Few minutes before the big development, reports had suggested underfire Babar's ouster. Pakistan's white-ball swashbuckling batter Fakhar Zaman reacted to the reports before PCB eventually dropped the out-of-form right-hander. Zaman's post, on X, went viral as he cited&nbsp;Indian star Virat Kohli's example.

<h2>'India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023'</h2>

Zaman wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "It’s concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a deeply negative message across the team. There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on safeguarding our key players rather than undermining them."

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It’s concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan…
— Fakhar Zaman (@FakharZamanLive) <a href="https://twitter.com/FakharZamanLive/status/1845408824091455702?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pak-vs-eng-2nd-test-ben-stokes-returns-from-injury-as-england-announce-playing-xi-vs-underfire-hosts-767280">Pak vs Eng, 2nd Test: Ben Stokes returns from injury as England announce playing XI vs underfire hosts</a>

Contrary to earlier reports, PCB claimed to have rested Babar, Naseem, and Shaheen. The trio has&nbsp;not been dropped but 'rested'&nbsp;to take some time off and rejuvenate, said reports.

Speaking about Babar's rut, the former Pakistan captain has not scored a fifty in Tests since late Dec 2022. Since then, his highest score is 41 versus Australia, at the MCG, Melbourne, which came early this year. In the first Test against England, in Multan, Babar returned with scores of 30 and 5,&nbsp;and&nbsp;he is now 18 innings without a half-century.&nbsp;

Talking about the first Test, Shan Masood-led Pakistan opted to bat first and posted 556. In reply, England declared at 823/7,&nbsp;riding on Harry Brook's 317 and Joe Root's 262. In their second essay, Pakistan folded for 220&nbsp;and lost&nbsp;the Test by an innings and 47 runs.

Pakistan squad for 2nd and 3rd Tests:&nbsp;Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood.

On Sunday (Oct 13), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) didn't name Babar Azam in the squad for the second and third Tests between Pakistan and England at home. Along with him, the board did not include Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah for the remainder of the England series.

On Sunday (Oct 13), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) didn't name Babar Azam in the squad for the second and third Tests between Pakistan and England at home. Along with him, the board did not include Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah for the remainder of the England series. Few minutes before the big development, reports had suggested underfire Babar's ouster. Pakistan's white-ball swashbuckling batter Fakhar Zaman reacted to the reports before PCB eventually dropped the out-of-form right-hander. Zaman's post, on X, went viral as he cited Indian star Virat Kohli's example. 'India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023' Zaman wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "It’s concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a deeply negative message across the team. There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on safeguarding our key players rather than undermining them." It’s concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan… — Fakhar Zaman (@FakharZamanLive) October 13, 2024 × Also read: Pak vs Eng, 2nd Test: Ben Stokes returns from injury as England announce playing XI vs underfire hosts Contrary to earlier reports, PCB claimed to have rested Babar, Naseem, and Shaheen. The trio has not been dropped but 'rested' to take some time off and rejuvenate, said reports. Speaking about Babar's rut, the former Pakistan captain has not scored a fifty in Tests since late Dec 2022. Since then, his highest score is 41 versus Australia, at the MCG, Melbourne, which came early this year. In the first Test against England, in Multan, Babar returned with scores of 30 and 5, and he is now 18 innings without a half-century. Talking about the first Test, Shan Masood-led Pakistan opted to bat first and posted 556. In reply, England declared at 823/7, riding on Harry Brook's 317 and Joe Root's 262. In their second essay, Pakistan folded for 220 and lost the Test by an innings and 47 runs. Pakistan squad for 2nd and 3rd Tests: Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood.

'India didn't bench...: Fakhar Zaman cites Virat Kohli on PCB dropping Babar Azam for remaining England Tests

England batter Harry Brook hailed the impact of Joe Root and&nbsp;he termed him the greatest player in English cricket history. Records were broken left, right and centre on Thursday (Oct 10) as&nbsp;England batters Root and Brook stitched a partnership of 454 runs for the fourth wicket, with the latter scoring a triple ton. Root scored 262 before getting out but made a significant impact on the contest, having also become England’s top run scorer in the Test format.

<h2>Brook in awe of Root</h2>

"He's obviously one of the best players, and England's greatest-ever batter," Brook told Sky Sports. "What comforts you the most when you're out there is watching how easy he makes it look, and how hard it is for the bowlers to get him out. He's playing the ball so late, you bowl your best ball, and he's scoring runs off it.”

After coming out to bat on Day 3, England batters were tasked with narrowing down the lead on Day 4 of the Test match. During this time, Brook slammed his maiden triple hundred before falling to Saim Ayub. Brook played 322 balls to score 317 runs, which was again a record for the fastest triple hundred by an Englishman.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pak-vs-eng-harry-brook-joe-root-run-riot-in-multan-as-england-smash-several-records-on-day-4-766364">PAK vs ENG: Harry Brook, Joe Root run riot in Multan as England smash several records on Day 4</a>

Root, who had a stellar Day 3, when&nbsp;he became England’s top run scorer in the Test format, also scored yet another double hundred. Before falling to Agha Salman, he scored 262 runs as they hammered Pakistan bowlers left, right and centre.

<h2>Pakistan on brink of another defeat</h2>

Trailing by 267 runs in the second second, England are on position ‘A-1’ as they look to win the Multan Test. At Stumps on Day 4, Pakistan were 152/6, with England needing four more wickets to win the match. Pakistan still trail by 115 runs and could have their bid for the World Test Championship (WTC) final end as they are on the brink of another defeat on home turf. They previously lost to Bangladesh 2-0 and were beaten 3-0 in England’s last visit to the nation.

England batter Harry Brook hailed the impact of Joe Root and he termed him the greatest player in English cricket history. Records were broken left, right and centre on Thursday (Oct 10) as England batters Root and Brook stitched a partnership of 454 runs for the fourth wicket, with the latter scoring a triple ton.

England batter Harry Brook hailed the impact of Joe Root and he termed him the greatest player in English cricket history. Records were broken left, right and centre on Thursday (Oct 10) as England batters Root and Brook stitched a partnership of 454 runs for the fourth wicket, with the latter scoring a triple ton. Root scored 262 before getting out but made a significant impact on the contest, having also become England’s top run scorer in the Test format. Brook in awe of Root "He's obviously one of the best players, and England's greatest-ever batter," Brook told Sky Sports. "What comforts you the most when you're out there is watching how easy he makes it look, and how hard it is for the bowlers to get him out. He's playing the ball so late, you bowl your best ball, and he's scoring runs off it.” After coming out to bat on Day 3, England batters were tasked with narrowing down the lead on Day 4 of the Test match. During this time, Brook slammed his maiden triple hundred before falling to Saim Ayub. Brook played 322 balls to score 317 runs, which was again a record for the fastest triple hundred by an Englishman. ALSO READ | PAK vs ENG: Harry Brook, Joe Root run riot in Multan as England smash several records on Day 4 Root, who had a stellar Day 3, when he became England’s top run scorer in the Test format, also scored yet another double hundred. Before falling to Agha Salman, he scored 262 runs as they hammered Pakistan bowlers left, right and centre. Pakistan on brink of another defeat Trailing by 267 runs in the second second, England are on position ‘A-1’ as they look to win the Multan Test. At Stumps on Day 4, Pakistan were 152/6, with England needing four more wickets to win the match. Pakistan still trail by 115 runs and could have their bid for the World Test Championship (WTC) final end as they are on the brink of another defeat on home turf. They previously lost to Bangladesh 2-0 and were beaten 3-0 in England’s last visit to the nation.

PAK vs ENG: Harry Brook in awe of Joe Root, says 'he is England's greatest-ever batter'

Records were broken left, right and centre on Thursday (Oct 10) as England batters Harry Brook and Joe Root shattered several records on Day 4 of the first Test match against Pakistan in Multan. England scored a record 823/7 on Day 4 with Brook scoring 317 while Root amassed 262. As a result, England established a lead of 267 runs despite Pakistan scoring 556 in their first innings.

<h2>Brook, Root run riot</h2>

After coming out to bat on Day 3, England batters were tasked to narrow the lead on Day 4 of the Test match. The pair of Root and Brook put together 454 runs for the fourth wicket. During this time, Brook slammed his maiden triple hundred before falling to Saim Ayub. Brook played 322 balls to score 317 runs, which was again a record for the fastest triple hundred by an Englishman.

Root, who had a stellar Day 3 when&nbsp;he became England’s top run scorer in Test cricket scored yet another double hundred. Before falling to Agha Salman, he scored 262 runs as they hammered Pakistan bowlers left, right and centre.

<h2>List of Records broken in Pakistan vs England</h2>

Highest 1st innings aggregate in a Test match

Highest total in Test cricket history

Fastest triple hundred by an Englishman

Fourth-highest partnership&nbsp;in Test cricket history

Highest partnership against Pakistan in Test cricket

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<h2>Pakistan on brink of another defeat</h2>

Trailing by 267 runs in the second second, England are on position ‘A-1’ as they look to win the Multan Test. At the time of writing, Pakistan were 103/6 with England needing four more wickets to win the match. Pakistan still trail by 164 runs and could have their bid for the World Test Championship (WTC) final end as they are on the brink of another defeat on home turf. They previously lost to Bangladesh 2-0 and were beaten 3-0 in England’s last visit to the nation.

Records were broken left, right and centre on Thursday (Oct 10) as England batters Harry Brook and Joe Root shattered several records on Day 4 of the first Test match against Pakistan in Multan.

Records were broken left, right and centre on Thursday (Oct 10) as England batters Harry Brook and Joe Root shattered several records on Day 4 of the first Test match against Pakistan in Multan. England scored a record 823/7 on Day 4 with Brook scoring 317 while Root amassed 262. As a result, England established a lead of 267 runs despite Pakistan scoring 556 in their first innings. Brook, Root run riot After coming out to bat on Day 3, England batters were tasked to narrow the lead on Day 4 of the Test match. The pair of Root and Brook put together 454 runs for the fourth wicket. During this time, Brook slammed his maiden triple hundred before falling to Saim Ayub. Brook played 322 balls to score 317 runs, which was again a record for the fastest triple hundred by an Englishman. Root, who had a stellar Day 3 when he became England’s top run scorer in Test cricket scored yet another double hundred. Before falling to Agha Salman, he scored 262 runs as they hammered Pakistan bowlers left, right and centre. List of Records broken in Pakistan vs England Highest 1st innings aggregate in a Test match Highest total in Test cricket history Fastest triple hundred by an Englishman Fourth-highest partnership in Test cricket history Highest partnership against Pakistan in Test cricket ALSO READ | Massive blow to Australia as Cameron Green doubtful for Border-Gavaskar series Pakistan on brink of another defeat Trailing by 267 runs in the second second, England are on position ‘A-1’ as they look to win the Multan Test. At the time of writing, Pakistan were 103/6 with England needing four more wickets to win the match. Pakistan still trail by 164 runs and could have their bid for the World Test Championship (WTC) final end as they are on the brink of another defeat on home turf. They previously lost to Bangladesh 2-0 and were beaten 3-0 in England’s last visit to the nation.

PAK vs ENG: Harry Brook, Joe Root run riot in Multan as England smash several records on Day 4

England batter Joe Root continued to break records during&nbsp;his marathon knock versus Pakistan on Day 4 of the Multan Test on Thursday (Oct 10). At lunch on the penultimate day, England reached 658/3, with a lead of 102 in reply to Pakistan's 556, courtesy of an unbroken 409-run fourth-wicket stand between double centurions Joe Root (259*) and Harry Brook (218*). Root, thus, continued to break records as he became the first-ever Englishman to reach 20,000 international runs. Moreover, he is also&nbsp;the first-ever visiting player with a Test double century in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Most International Runs For England

Joe Root - 20076*

Alastair Cook - 15,737

Kevin Pietersen - 13,779

Ian Bell - 13,331

Graham Gooch - 13,190

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pak-vs-eng-1st-test-joe-root-continues-merry-run-becomes-englands-highest-run-scorer-in-purest-format-765888">Pak vs Eng: Joe Root continues merry run, becomes England's highest run-scorer in Test cricket</a>

Root also became the batter with&nbsp;second joint-most double hundreds away from home (5). He is tied with South Africa's Graeme Smith whereas the list is led by stalwarts such as Sir Don Bradman, Brian Lara, Kumar Sangakkara, etc.

Most double hundreds away from home

5 - Don Bradman

5 - Wally Hammond

5 - Brian Lara

5 - Kumar Sangakkara

5 - Younis Khan

4 - Graeme Smith

4 - Joe Root*

The former English captain also has second joint-most Test double hundreds in most countries.

Test double hundreds in most countries

6 - Kumar Sangakkara

6 - Younis Khan

5 - Brian Lara

5 - Joe Root*

Given the Multan pitch is offering no support to the bowlers, England look set to take a daunting lead and would aim for Pakistan to crumble under pressure in the second innings. At the moment, Root is on the verge of scoring a triple ton and can also break Lara's record of the highest-ever score by a batter in whites (400 not out). Brook, on the other hand, will also look to surpass the 300-run mark post lunch.

England batter Joe Root continued to break records during his marathon knock versus Pakistan on Day 4 of the Multan Test on Thursday (Oct 10). At lunch on the penultimate day, England reached 658/3, with a lead of 102 in reply to Pakistan's 556, courtesy of an unbroken 409-run fourth-wicket stand between double centurions Joe Root (259*) and Harry Brook (218*).

England batter Joe Root continued to break records during his marathon knock versus Pakistan on Day 4 of the Multan Test on Thursday (Oct 10). At lunch on the penultimate day, England reached 658/3, with a lead of 102 in reply to Pakistan's 556, courtesy of an unbroken 409-run fourth-wicket stand between double centurions Joe Root (259*) and Harry Brook (218*). Root, thus, continued to break records as he became the first-ever Englishman to reach 20,000 international runs. Moreover, he is also the first-ever visiting player with a Test double century in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Most International Runs For England Joe Root - 20076* Alastair Cook - 15,737 Kevin Pietersen - 13,779 Ian Bell - 13,331 Graham Gooch - 13,190 Also read | Pak vs Eng: Joe Root continues merry run, becomes England's highest run-scorer in Test cricket Root also became the batter with second joint-most double hundreds away from home (5). He is tied with South Africa's Graeme Smith whereas the list is led by stalwarts such as Sir Don Bradman, Brian Lara, Kumar Sangakkara, etc. Most double hundreds away from home 5 - Don Bradman 5 - Wally Hammond 5 - Brian Lara 5 - Kumar Sangakkara 5 - Younis Khan 4 - Graeme Smith 4 - Joe Root* The former English captain also has second joint-most Test double hundreds in most countries. Test double hundreds in most countries 6 - Kumar Sangakkara 6 - Younis Khan 5 - Brian Lara 5 - Joe Root* Given the Multan pitch is offering no support to the bowlers, England look set to take a daunting lead and would aim for Pakistan to crumble under pressure in the second innings. At the moment, Root is on the verge of scoring a triple ton and can also break Lara's record of the highest-ever score by a batter in whites (400 not out). Brook, on the other hand, will also look to surpass the 300-run mark post lunch.

Pak vs Eng, 1st Test: Double centurion Joe Root becomes first Englishman to score 20k int'l runs

The first Test between Pakistan and England, in Multan, has been a run-fest so far. Shan Masood-led hosts opted to bat first on Day 1, on Monday (Oct 7),&nbsp;and rode on skipper's 152, Abdullah Shafique's 102 and Agha Salman's 104 to post 556. In reply, England ended Day 3, on Wednesday (Oct 9) at 492 for 3. So far, two English batters (Joe Root and Harry Brook) have also scored centuries as runs continue to pile up in Multan. Thus, former England captain Kevin Pietersen thrashed the nature of the surface and feels it is a 'bowler's graveyard'. In addition, it is destroying Test cricket if it doesn't favour the bowlers in the remaining days.

“Still a bowler’s graveyard! If this wicket doesn’t crumble and produce a result, it’s helping DESTROY Test cricket,” Pietersen wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

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Still a bowlers graveyard! If this wicket doesn’t crumble and produce a result, it’s helping DESTROY Test cricket.
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Over the years, the pitches used for Test matches in Pakistan have been slammed from all corners for not producing an even contest. The ongoing Multan Test will surely add to this noise if the surface continues to be a cakewalk for batters.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pak-vs-eng-i-dont-see-ben-stokes-backs-joe-root-to-break-sachin-tendulkars-record-for-most-test-runs-765939">Pak vs Eng: I don't see...: Ben Stokes backs Joe Root to break Sachin Tendulkar's record for most Test runs</a>

Talking about Day 3, England batters dominated proceedings, resorting to their aggressive approach, and went to stumps at 492/3, coming close to Pakistan's 556 courtesy of Root's 176* and Harry Brook's unbeaten&nbsp;141. The two have stitched an unbeaten 243 runs for the fourth-wicket as bowlers continue to suffer in Multan.

Meanwhile, Root continued his merry run by becoming the highest run-getter for England in Tests and slamming his 35th ton on Wednesday. He looks destined for a daddy hundred, being just 24 away from a double ton.&nbsp;

The first Test between Pakistan and England, in Multan, has been a run-fest so far. Shan Masood-led hosts opted to bat first on Day 1, on Monday (Oct 7), and rode on skipper's 152, Abdullah Shafique's 102 and Agha Salman's 104 to post 556.

The first Test between Pakistan and England, in Multan, has been a run-fest so far. Shan Masood-led hosts opted to bat first on Day 1, on Monday (Oct 7), and rode on skipper's 152, Abdullah Shafique's 102 and Agha Salman's 104 to post 556. In reply, England ended Day 3, on Wednesday (Oct 9) at 492 for 3. So far, two English batters (Joe Root and Harry Brook) have also scored centuries as runs continue to pile up in Multan. Thus, former England captain Kevin Pietersen thrashed the nature of the surface and feels it is a 'bowler's graveyard'. In addition, it is destroying Test cricket if it doesn't favour the bowlers in the remaining days. “Still a bowler’s graveyard! If this wicket doesn’t crumble and produce a result, it’s helping DESTROY Test cricket,” Pietersen wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Still a bowlers graveyard! If this wicket doesn’t crumble and produce a result, it’s helping DESTROY Test cricket. — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) October 9, 2024 × Over the years, the pitches used for Test matches in Pakistan have been slammed from all corners for not producing an even contest. The ongoing Multan Test will surely add to this noise if the surface continues to be a cakewalk for batters. Also Read | Pak vs Eng: I don't see...: Ben Stokes backs Joe Root to break Sachin Tendulkar's record for most Test runs Talking about Day 3, England batters dominated proceedings, resorting to their aggressive approach, and went to stumps at 492/3, coming close to Pakistan's 556 courtesy of Root's 176* and Harry Brook's unbeaten 141. The two have stitched an unbeaten 243 runs for the fourth-wicket as bowlers continue to suffer in Multan. Meanwhile, Root continued his merry run by becoming the highest run-getter for England in Tests and slamming his 35th ton on Wednesday. He looks destined for a daddy hundred, being just 24 away from a double ton.

Pak vs Eng: 'It’s helping DESTROY Test cricket,' Pietersen SLAMS Multan pitch as runs pile up in series opener

After Joe Root became England's highest run-getter in Tests&nbsp;during the opening session of Day 3 of the Multan Test versus Pakistan&nbsp;on Wednesday (Oct 9), Ben Stokes backed him to break, or come close to&nbsp;Sachin Tendulkar's record for most runs in whites. Tendulkar, who retired from international cricket in 2013, is the leading scorer in Tests with 15,921 runs. The 33-year-old Root already has over 12,500 runs in whites and looks set to break Tendulkar's long-standing record. In the overall tally, Root occupies the fifth place.

<h2>'He is too good a player....'</h2>

Stokes was quoted as saying to the ECB,&nbsp;after Root became England's highest Test run-getter, "Look, he is 33. He has played some 100 games in a row. I don't know. He can easily go until he is 37, 38 or even 39. He plays all the Test matches from now until then, I don't see why not. He is too good a player to at least get close to. I personally will be backing him to go past it."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pak-vs-eng-1st-test-joe-root-continues-merry-run-becomes-englands-highest-run-scorer-in-purest-format-765888">Pak vs Eng: Joe Root continues merry run, becomes England's highest run-scorer in Test cricket</a>

<h2>'Everything he has done with the bat&nbsp;has always been about the team'</h2>

Stokes lauded Root for his selflessness and feels it would take very long for any English player to&nbsp;break his England record. Thus, he further opined, "To score that many runs, you have to think that there has to be a bit of selfishness about the player. But everything that he has done with the bat in his hand, has always been about the team. I remember a couple of years ago, he was getting stick for converting his fifties into hundreds. I just couldn't get my head around it."

The Test captain added, "From my point of view, when I looked at how many hundreds Joe scored and how many games we have won, that's what I look at. The selflessness he has is an incredible attribute for him. He always puts the team first. It's going to take a long, long time for someone to come in and break that record."

At present, England are in full command in the opening Test versus Pakistan in Multan. In response to the hosts' 556, England have crossed the 350-run mark, for the loss of only three wickets, with Root scoring his 35th Test ton. The visitors look on course to get close to Pakistan's first-innings score.&nbsp;

Stokes, on the other hand, is not part of the playing XI as he is still recovering from a hamstring injury. In his absence, Ollie Pope is leading the side in Multan.

After Joe Root became England's highest run-getter in Tests during the opening session of Day 3 of the Multan Test versus Pakistan on Wednesday (Oct 9), Ben Stokes backed him to break, or come close to Sachin Tendulkar's record for most runs in whites.

After Joe Root became England's highest run-getter in Tests during the opening session of Day 3 of the Multan Test versus Pakistan on Wednesday (Oct 9), Ben Stokes backed him to break, or come close to Sachin Tendulkar's record for most runs in whites. Tendulkar, who retired from international cricket in 2013, is the leading scorer in Tests with 15,921 runs. The 33-year-old Root already has over 12,500 runs in whites and looks set to break Tendulkar's long-standing record. In the overall tally, Root occupies the fifth place. 'He is too good a player....' Stokes was quoted as saying to the ECB, after Root became England's highest Test run-getter, "Look, he is 33. He has played some 100 games in a row. I don't know. He can easily go until he is 37, 38 or even 39. He plays all the Test matches from now until then, I don't see why not. He is too good a player to at least get close to. I personally will be backing him to go past it." Also read: Pak vs Eng: Joe Root continues merry run, becomes England's highest run-scorer in Test cricket 'Everything he has done with the bat has always been about the team' Stokes lauded Root for his selflessness and feels it would take very long for any English player to break his England record. Thus, he further opined, "To score that many runs, you have to think that there has to be a bit of selfishness about the player. But everything that he has done with the bat in his hand, has always been about the team. I remember a couple of years ago, he was getting stick for converting his fifties into hundreds. I just couldn't get my head around it." The Test captain added, "From my point of view, when I looked at how many hundreds Joe scored and how many games we have won, that's what I look at. The selflessness he has is an incredible attribute for him. He always puts the team first. It's going to take a long, long time for someone to come in and break that record." At present, England are in full command in the opening Test versus Pakistan in Multan. In response to the hosts' 556, England have crossed the 350-run mark, for the loss of only three wickets, with Root scoring his 35th Test ton. The visitors look on course to get close to Pakistan's first-innings score. Stokes, on the other hand, is not part of the playing XI as he is still recovering from a hamstring injury. In his absence, Ollie Pope is leading the side in Multan.

Pak vs Eng: I don't see...: Ben Stokes backs Joe Root to break Sachin Tendulkar's record for most Test runs

England star Joe Root is not thinking of breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record as he prepares for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan. Root, recently scored his 34th Test hundred bringing him on the brink of being the most successful English batter. However, he has been compared to Tendulkar with many reckoning he could break the legendary India batter’s record for most Test runs.

<h2>Root not thinking of Tendulkar</h2>

"I think, more than anything, you judge yourself based on how many games you can affect and how many games you can win for the team. The big driver for me is how many times I can contribute to winning games for England. If with that mindset, I am trying to be successful in whatever conditions are in front of me, that is a good enough driver for me. I want to keep enjoying myself and keep playing. I look at enjoying that at the moment," Joe Root said while on a Pakistan tour.

The 33-year-old batter has 34 hundreds in the red-ball format and now needs 71 more runs to become the greatest English batter.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/england-skipper-ben-stokes-ruled-out-from-first-test-against-pakistan-764759">England skipper Ben Stokes ruled out from first Test against Pakistan</a>

With still 3-4 years of top-quality cricket left in him, Root will be a top contender to break Tendulkar’s record for most runs. At the time of writing, Root needs 3520 runs to surpass Tendulkar’s tally and the upcoming Pakistan series will be crucial for him as he can add one more feather to his already impressive hat.

<h2>Can England repeat 2022 heroics?</h2>

In December 2022, Pakistan were beaten 3-0 by England as Brendon McCullum’s Bazball approach proved vital. Things have not changed much for Pakistan since and recently lost 2-0 to Bangladesh in a home series. With the World Test Championship (WTC) final qualification still up for grabs both teams will look to gain vital ground on India and Australia as they occupy the top two spots and will go head-to-head in a five-match Test series starting next month.

England star Joe Root is not thinking of breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record as he prepares for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan. Root, recently scored his 34th Test hundred bringing him on the brink of being the most successful English batter.

England star Joe Root is not thinking of breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record as he prepares for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan. Root, recently scored his 34th Test hundred bringing him on the brink of being the most successful English batter. However, he has been compared to Tendulkar with many reckoning he could break the legendary India batter’s record for most Test runs. Root not thinking of Tendulkar "I think, more than anything, you judge yourself based on how many games you can affect and how many games you can win for the team. The big driver for me is how many times I can contribute to winning games for England. If with that mindset, I am trying to be successful in whatever conditions are in front of me, that is a good enough driver for me. I want to keep enjoying myself and keep playing. I look at enjoying that at the moment," Joe Root said while on a Pakistan tour. The 33-year-old batter has 34 hundreds in the red-ball format and now needs 71 more runs to become the greatest English batter. ALSO READ | England skipper Ben Stokes ruled out from first Test against Pakistan With still 3-4 years of top-quality cricket left in him, Root will be a top contender to break Tendulkar’s record for most runs. At the time of writing, Root needs 3520 runs to surpass Tendulkar’s tally and the upcoming Pakistan series will be crucial for him as he can add one more feather to his already impressive hat. Can England repeat 2022 heroics? In December 2022, Pakistan were beaten 3-0 by England as Brendon McCullum’s Bazball approach proved vital. Things have not changed much for Pakistan since and recently lost 2-0 to Bangladesh in a home series. With the World Test Championship (WTC) final qualification still up for grabs both teams will look to gain vital ground on India and Australia as they occupy the top two spots and will go head-to-head in a five-match Test series starting next month.

PAK vs ENG Test Series: Joe Root not thinking of breaking Tendulkar's record, says 'I want to keep enjoying'

Despite the criticism and poor show in the Test format, Pakistan selection committee has retained faith in Shan Masood as the skipper of the side. In the 15-man squad announced for the first Test match, Pakistan will field an experienced squad consisting of Aamer Jamal, who returns after sustaining a back injury. Noman Ali is also given the nod in the side after having missed the Bangladesh series as Pakistan look to get back on track in the red-ball format.

<h2>Pakistan announce squad for Test series</h2>

With England visiting the Asian side who have been on a barren run of 10 Test matches without a win on home turf, Pakistan have shown faith in proven quality. Saud Shakeel will be the vice-captain of the side with Sarfaraz Ahmed being the wicketkeeping option. Former Test skipper Babar Azam has also retained his place in the side, while Shaheen&nbsp;Shah Afridi, who missed one of the Test matches against Bangladesh, also keeps his place intact.

The hosts have been winless in their last 10 matches on home turf, losing six matches and drawing four. During this period, they have suffered losses to Australia and England and drew against New Zealand on home turf. However, the side’s biggest embarrassment was in the Bangladesh series where they were beaten comprehensively.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/milan-will-not-host-2027-mens-champions-league-final-bidding-process-reopened-says-uefa-761648">Milan will not host 2027 men's Champions League final, bidding process reopened, says UEFA</a>

Pakistan despite declaring in the first innings of the first Test against Bangladesh lost the match while in the second Test, they had the visitors at 27/6 in the first innings but again ended up losing.

The first Test match against England will be played in Multan and will start on October 7. &nbsp;

<h2>Pakistan squad for first Test against England</h2>

Shan Masood (capt), Saud Shakeel (vice-capt), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Despite the criticism and poor show in the Test format, Pakistan selection committee has retained faith in Shan Masood as the skipper of the side. In the 15-man squad announced for the first Test match, Pakistan will field an experienced squad consisting of Aamer Jamal, who returns after sustaining a back injury.

Despite the criticism and poor show in the Test format, Pakistan selection committee has retained faith in Shan Masood as the skipper of the side. In the 15-man squad announced for the first Test match, Pakistan will field an experienced squad consisting of Aamer Jamal, who returns after sustaining a back injury. Noman Ali is also given the nod in the side after having missed the Bangladesh series as Pakistan look to get back on track in the red-ball format. Pakistan announce squad for Test series With England visiting the Asian side who have been on a barren run of 10 Test matches without a win on home turf, Pakistan have shown faith in proven quality. Saud Shakeel will be the vice-captain of the side with Sarfaraz Ahmed being the wicketkeeping option. Former Test skipper Babar Azam has also retained his place in the side, while Shaheen Shah Afridi, who missed one of the Test matches against Bangladesh, also keeps his place intact. The hosts have been winless in their last 10 matches on home turf, losing six matches and drawing four. During this period, they have suffered losses to Australia and England and drew against New Zealand on home turf. However, the side’s biggest embarrassment was in the Bangladesh series where they were beaten comprehensively. ALSO READ | Milan will not host 2027 men's Champions League final, bidding process reopened, says UEFA Pakistan despite declaring in the first innings of the first Test against Bangladesh lost the match while in the second Test, they had the visitors at 27/6 in the first innings but again ended up losing. The first Test match against England will be played in Multan and will start on October 7. Pakistan squad for first Test against England Shan Masood (capt), Saud Shakeel (vice-capt), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi.

England tour of Pakistan: Shan Masood to lead hosts despite poor run; Aamer Jamal returns after injury

Pakistan suffered a 3-0 whitewash against England after losing third and final against Stokes and Co. at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Several former Pakistan cricketers were disappointed that a full-strength Men in Green could not beat an English team that was assembled just a couple of days before their first team was isolated due to a coronavirus outbreak.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-definitely-i-was-hardik-pandyas-former-coach-reacts-to-him-not-getting-india-captaincy-398011" hreflang="en">'Definitely, I was': Pandya's former coach reacts to him not getting captaincy</a>

Former cricketer Ramiz Raja, in his YouTube video, lashed out at Pakistan's performance was 'extremely painful' for the fans.&nbsp;

“An extremely painful and tough day for Pakistan cricket and its fans. The team has been whitewashed by a B-Grade England team. I’m not surprised by the results because it was on the cards. This team got mentally disintegrated. They couldn’t get over the shock of their defeat in the first ODI because the headlines were all over that a B team, which was assembled within two days, has beaten Pakistan.

“They went under pressure after the loss and hence, committed mistakes. It has become a trend for this Pakistan team. It doesn’t learn from mistakes. Instead, they double it under pressure,” Raja said.

“Babar Azam is a young captain and he would need to change the environment. He needs to understand that he won’t get headlines for scoring 150. It will only happen if the team plays connectively and wins. Unless you take chances, get your skills challenged - how would you become a successful side?

“You saw the Zimbabwe series. It was an ideal opportunity to try the youngsters but that didn’t happen. The same old players played there. Babar needs to change this. Pakistan will face tougher situations in the future and his career itself is shaping up. It all depends on a skipper how he changes the environment of the dressing room and tests the talent in his team.

“It’s time for a change. They need to change their mindset and experiment with new talents. For the sake of Pakistan cricket, think tank needs to make massive changes,” Raja concluded.

Pakistan suffered a 3-0 whitewash against England after losing third and final against Stokes and Co. at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Several former Pakistan cricketers were disappointed that a full-strength Men in Green could not beat an English team that was assembled just a couple of days before their first team was isolated due to a coronavirus outbreak.

Pakistan suffered a 3-0 whitewash against England after losing third and final against Stokes and Co. at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Several former Pakistan cricketers were disappointed that a full-strength Men in Green could not beat an English team that was assembled just a couple of days before their first team was isolated due to a coronavirus outbreak. ALSO READ: 'Definitely, I was': Pandya's former coach reacts to him not getting captaincy Former cricketer Ramiz Raja, in his YouTube video, lashed out at Pakistan's performance was 'extremely painful' for the fans. “An extremely painful and tough day for Pakistan cricket and its fans. The team has been whitewashed by a B-Grade England team. I’m not surprised by the results because it was on the cards. This team got mentally disintegrated. They couldn’t get over the shock of their defeat in the first ODI because the headlines were all over that a B team, which was assembled within two days, has beaten Pakistan. “They went under pressure after the loss and hence, committed mistakes. It has become a trend for this Pakistan team. It doesn’t learn from mistakes. Instead, they double it under pressure,” Raja said. “Babar Azam is a young captain and he would need to change the environment. He needs to understand that he won’t get headlines for scoring 150. It will only happen if the team plays connectively and wins. Unless you take chances, get your skills challenged - how would you become a successful side? “You saw the Zimbabwe series. It was an ideal opportunity to try the youngsters but that didn’t happen. The same old players played there. Babar needs to change this. Pakistan will face tougher situations in the future and his career itself is shaping up. It all depends on a skipper how he changes the environment of the dressing room and tests the talent in his team. “It’s time for a change. They need to change their mindset and experiment with new talents. For the sake of Pakistan cricket, think tank needs to make massive changes,” Raja concluded.

'Extremely painful': Ramiz Raja lashes out at Pakistan's performance against England

Pakistan suffered a 3-0 whitewash against England after losing third and final against Stokes and Co. at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Several former Pakistan cricketers were disappointed that a full-strength Men in Green could not beat an English team that was assembled just a couple of days before their first team was isolated due to a coronavirus outbreak.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-record-breaking-azams-odi-best-cant-stop-england-sweep-of-pakistan-397983" hreflang="en">Cricket: Record-breaking Azam's ODI best can't stop England sweep of Pakistan</a>

Shoaib Akhtar has expressed his disappointment with the performance of Babar Azam and Co. and called it "shameful". He went on to criticise the Pakistan Cricket Board and called it "average".&nbsp;

“It's a shameful performance. Our board is average. It brings average people, the management is average so obviously, they are going to build an average team. You can’t expect extraordinary things from average people. It’s wrong for you to expect.

“Crowd are coming to the ground but after watching such performances, the fan following will never grow. There is no star to inspire the youngsters. Then how can you bring the next Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi or Wasim Akram? You have to build brand,” Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.

After a disappointing show in the first two ODIs, Pakistan put up a strong batting show in the third One Day, with skipper Babar Azam scoring his career-best 158, which is also the most by any Pakistan player against England and posted a string 331 at the loss of 9 wickets.&nbsp;

However, they miserably failed to defend the total and England, with the help of James Vince's maiden ton, easily chased the target within 48 overs with three wickets remaining.&nbsp;

“Why this England team is doing so much better than us? Our mindset after we lose a couple of wickets is to bat steadily, build partnerships and then only try and attack in the last 10 overs. This is 70s cricket. We are stuck in the 70s. England say even if we are bowled out in 40 overs we will make sure we get 300. Every England batsman that walked in, kept the scoreboard moving and it was not mindless slogging. It was methodical hitting, there was rotation of strike. But we are playing 70s cricket because our mindset is like that, we don’t want to improve,” Akhtar said.

“Pakistan cricket is in a serious situation. They are in treacherous waters. It’s a very hopeless situation for PCB and Pakistan. I don’t know what the authorities are thinking but it’s a very hopeless situation. I’m not saying because I need a job but I’m saying this because I’m hurt. I played this game for my country. I ran in and I made sure people get value for their money. And they did that. Unfortunately, I’m not getting value for money from this team. This is not defendable, this is unexpected. This must be looked into,” he said.

Babar Azam and Co. will now take on England in a three-match T20I series starting from July 16.

Pakistan suffered a 3-0 whitewash against England after losing third and final against Stokes and Co. at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Several former Pakistan cricketers were disappointed that a full-strength Men in Green could not beat an English team that was assembled just a couple of days before their first team was isolated due to a coronavirus outbreak. ALSO READ: Cricket: Record-breaking Azam's ODI best can't stop England sweep of Pakistan Shoaib Akhtar has expressed his disappointment with the performance of Babar Azam and Co. and called it "shameful". He went on to criticise the Pakistan Cricket Board and called it "average". “It's a shameful performance. Our board is average. It brings average people, the management is average so obviously, they are going to build an average team. You can’t expect extraordinary things from average people. It’s wrong for you to expect. “Crowd are coming to the ground but after watching such performances, the fan following will never grow. There is no star to inspire the youngsters. Then how can you bring the next Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi or Wasim Akram? You have to build brand,” Akhtar said on his YouTube channel. After a disappointing show in the first two ODIs, Pakistan put up a strong batting show in the third One Day, with skipper Babar Azam scoring his career-best 158, which is also the most by any Pakistan player against England and posted a string 331 at the loss of 9 wickets. However, they miserably failed to defend the total and England, with the help of James Vince's maiden ton, easily chased the target within 48 overs with three wickets remaining. “Why this England team is doing so much better than us? Our mindset after we lose a couple of wickets is to bat steadily, build partnerships and then only try and attack in the last 10 overs. This is 70s cricket. We are stuck in the 70s. England say even if we are bowled out in 40 overs we will make sure we get 300. Every England batsman that walked in, kept the scoreboard moving and it was not mindless slogging. It was methodical hitting, there was rotation of strike. But we are playing 70s cricket because our mindset is like that, we don’t want to improve,” Akhtar said. “Pakistan cricket is in a serious situation. They are in treacherous waters. It’s a very hopeless situation for PCB and Pakistan. I don’t know what the authorities are thinking but it’s a very hopeless situation. I’m not saying because I need a job but I’m saying this because I’m hurt. I played this game for my country. I ran in and I made sure people get value for their money. And they did that. Unfortunately, I’m not getting value for money from this team. This is not defendable, this is unexpected. This must be looked into,” he said. Babar Azam and Co. will now take on England in a three-match T20I series starting from July 16.

Cricket- 'It's a shameful performance': Shoaib Akhtar criticises Babar Azam and Co. after England whitewash

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday confirmed that England will make their first visit to Pakistan in 16 years to play two T20Is in Karachi on 14 and 15 October.&nbsp;England's&nbsp;tour to Pakistan next October will be for the first time since a 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team bus.

England will arrive in Karachi on 12 October, and both the sides will depart for India on 16 October for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the end of the series.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the tour on Tuesday evening following last month’s invite by the PCB for a short tour in January 2021.

Due to the non-availability of its top stars during that period as they will be busy in international cricket, the ECB proposed the short tour in October in the lead up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which was welcomed by the PCB.

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England last toured Pakistan in 2005 when they played three Tests and five One-Day Internationals. The subsequent series between the two sides in 2012 and 2015 were played in the United Arab Emirates.

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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/aus-vs-ind-tim-paine-marnus-labuschagne-and-others-airlifted-from-adelaide-to-sydney-after-covid-19-spike-343763" hreflang="en">AUS vs IND: Tim Paine, Marnus Labuschagne and others airlifted from Adelaide to Sydney after COVID-19 spike</a>

PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan: “I am delighted to confirm that England will be touring Pakistan to play two T20Is in October 2021. This will be their first visit to Pakistan for 16 years and will open the door for both Test and white-ball tours in the 2022-23 season.

“The full-strength England squad will arrive at the backend of our home series against New Zealand. We also expect Australia to visit Pakistan for their FTP commitment in the 2021-22 season, with England returning for both Test and white-ball tours in the 2022-23 season.

“The October 2021 T20Is will allow the leading England cricketers to access and examine the world-class arrangements we will put together, which will give them further encouragement and confidence to not only return in 2022-23 but also express their interest in the Pakistan Super League, which has grown to become one of the top leagues in the world.

“England’s visit to Pakistan for the 14 and 15 October 2021 T20Is will provide further lift to our passionate fans, both in Pakistan and across the globe. The nation has waited patiently for cricket to return sustainably to Pakistan and the 2021 tours by South Africa, New Zealand and England will only ensure international cricket is played uninterruptedly.

“The enhanced progress made over the last two years has been down to nurturing relationships with various cricket boards and international players, as well as building trust and confidence.

“The ECB’s confirmation further endorses Pakistan as safe and secure. Importantly, this announcement speaks volumes for the relationship that we have with the ECB and I would like to thank the ECB for their strong will and desire to make this short tour a reality.

“England’s visit in 2021 is an outcome of the PCB’s efforts and hard work to ensure Pakistan cricket continues to move in the right direction.”

ECB Chief Executive Tom Harrison: “It’s a real pleasure to announce that the England men’s T20I squad will be playing in Pakistan in October 2021. This will be first time since 2005 that an England team has toured Pakistan and, as such, it represents a significant moment for both nations.

“As was demonstrated this summer, we have a strong relationship with the PCB, and the ECB is delighted to be able to play our part in ensuring the safe return of international cricket to this wonderful nation of passionate cricket fans. &nbsp;&nbsp;

“As always, the safety and welfare of our players and staff will be paramount. We are working closely with the PCB to ensure all the necessary plans are in place, especially concerning the anticipated levels of security around the team, the proposed travel protocols and of course the situation regarding the fast-moving and ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

“The two-match series will serve as ideal preparation for the England team leading into an ICC T20 World Cup taking place in India during October and November 2021.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday confirmed that England will make their first visit to Pakistan in 16 years to play two T20Is in Karachi on 14 and 15 October.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday confirmed that England will make their first visit to Pakistan in 16 years to play two T20Is in Karachi on 14 and 15 October. England's tour to Pakistan next October will be for the first time since a 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team bus. England will arrive in Karachi on 12 October, and both the sides will depart for India on 16 October for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the end of the series. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the tour on Tuesday evening following last month’s invite by the PCB for a short tour in January 2021. Due to the non-availability of its top stars during that period as they will be busy in international cricket, the ECB proposed the short tour in October in the lead up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which was welcomed by the PCB. ALSO READ: Chennai Super Kings become the most Tweeted about team during cricket season England last toured Pakistan in 2005 when they played three Tests and five One-Day Internationals. The subsequent series between the two sides in 2012 and 2015 were played in the United Arab Emirates. We are heading to Pakistan! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇵🇰🏏 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) November 18, 2020 × pic.twitter.com/0LYjE5qLQ8 — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 18, 2020 × ALSO READ: AUS vs IND: Tim Paine, Marnus Labuschagne and others airlifted from Adelaide to Sydney after COVID-19 spike PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan: “I am delighted to confirm that England will be touring Pakistan to play two T20Is in October 2021. This will be their first visit to Pakistan for 16 years and will open the door for both Test and white-ball tours in the 2022-23 season. “The full-strength England squad will arrive at the backend of our home series against New Zealand. We also expect Australia to visit Pakistan for their FTP commitment in the 2021-22 season, with England returning for both Test and white-ball tours in the 2022-23 season. “The October 2021 T20Is will allow the leading England cricketers to access and examine the world-class arrangements we will put together, which will give them further encouragement and confidence to not only return in 2022-23 but also express their interest in the Pakistan Super League, which has grown to become one of the top leagues in the world. “England’s visit to Pakistan for the 14 and 15 October 2021 T20Is will provide further lift to our passionate fans, both in Pakistan and across the globe. The nation has waited patiently for cricket to return sustainably to Pakistan and the 2021 tours by South Africa, New Zealand and England will only ensure international cricket is played uninterruptedly. “The enhanced progress made over the last two years has been down to nurturing relationships with various cricket boards and international players, as well as building trust and confidence. “The ECB’s confirmation further endorses Pakistan as safe and secure. Importantly, this announcement speaks volumes for the relationship that we have with the ECB and I would like to thank the ECB for their strong will and desire to make this short tour a reality. “England’s visit in 2021 is an outcome of the PCB’s efforts and hard work to ensure Pakistan cricket continues to move in the right direction.” ECB Chief Executive Tom Harrison: “It’s a real pleasure to announce that the England men’s T20I squad will be playing in Pakistan in October 2021. This will be first time since 2005 that an England team has toured Pakistan and, as such, it represents a significant moment for both nations. “As was demonstrated this summer, we have a strong relationship with the PCB, and the ECB is delighted to be able to play our part in ensuring the safe return of international cricket to this wonderful nation of passionate cricket fans. “As always, the safety and welfare of our players and staff will be paramount. We are working closely with the PCB to ensure all the necessary plans are in place, especially concerning the anticipated levels of security around the team, the proposed travel protocols and of course the situation regarding the fast-moving and ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic. “The two-match series will serve as ideal preparation for the England team leading into an ICC T20 World Cup taking place in India during October and November 2021.”

First time in 16 years! England confirm Pakistan tour in 2021

Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali has his eyes on England “fragile top order” as the countdown for the upcoming series gets underway, England’s top-order batting has looked a bit shaky in recent times but the Pakistan captain made sure to lavish high praise on their bowling line-up.

England have been inconsistent against the new ball in recent years and no pair has opened together more than nine times. Even if the likes of Rory Burns has looked solid, he remains inexperienced like the others in the fray for the West Indies series.&nbsp;

"Their bowling attack is brilliant in their own conditions and there is no doubt about it," Azhar said before leaving for England. "Other than Jofra Archer we have faced all of them - Broad, Anderson, Woakes, Stokes and even Wood was there, but we have still won against them. Looking at their batting, their top order has been fragile for some time since Alastair Cook retired. They have tried a lot of combinations lately and might be looking a bit more settled, but they haven't been really confident with it. So there is something for us in it to look at."

Pakistan have won three out of six Tests in two drawn series since 2016. 2-2 and 1-2 in 2016 and 2018 respectively. Pakistan remain to the only visiting tem to score 500+ in a Test in England since 2016. Azhar is optimistic about a win this time.

However, Pakistan’s inexperience bowling attack could be a problem. They might have fire but the experience needed to crack English conditions is lacking. Only Mohammad Abbas has played two Tests in the country and Yasir Shah has had a torrid time in England.

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"In terms of number of games, of course, England have&nbsp;tons of experience in their bowling," Azhar said. "But we have the skills: they [our bowlers] are young and have a lot to offer. They can give trouble to any team in the world. In a very short time, they have achieved a lot and that is a good sign.

"You can't buy experience immediately, and for that you obviously have to play more, but then we have a very experienced coaching staff with Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed. Their expertise and knowledge can be utilised and they will be helping them. So I believe, when this combo of experience and skill is brought together, that we can produce a great result. I am confident about this.

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"About spinners, we are not really sure about the conditions at the time of the Test series. The weather right now is great there but it changes frequently and suddenly. We don't know how it will pan out this summer. We will bring our game plan according to the conditions. We have a larger pool of player and have a lot of flexible options in our touring party."

Pakistan’s tour of England comprises three Tests starting the first week of August and as many T20Is ending in September. 
&nbsp;

Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali has his eyes on England “fragile top order” as the countdown for the upcoming series gets underway, England’s top-order batting has looked a bit shaky in recent times but the Pakistan captain made sure to lavish high praise on their bowling line-up.

Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali has his eyes on England “fragile top order” as the countdown for the upcoming series gets underway, England’s top-order batting has looked a bit shaky in recent times but the Pakistan captain made sure to lavish high praise on their bowling line-up. England have been inconsistent against the new ball in recent years and no pair has opened together more than nine times. Even if the likes of Rory Burns has looked solid, he remains inexperienced like the others in the fray for the West Indies series. "Their bowling attack is brilliant in their own conditions and there is no doubt about it," Azhar said before leaving for England. "Other than Jofra Archer we have faced all of them - Broad, Anderson, Woakes, Stokes and even Wood was there, but we have still won against them. Looking at their batting, their top order has been fragile for some time since Alastair Cook retired. They have tried a lot of combinations lately and might be looking a bit more settled, but they haven't been really confident with it. So there is something for us in it to look at." Pakistan have won three out of six Tests in two drawn series since 2016. 2-2 and 1-2 in 2016 and 2018 respectively. Pakistan remain to the only visiting tem to score 500+ in a Test in England since 2016. Azhar is optimistic about a win this time. However, Pakistan’s inexperience bowling attack could be a problem. They might have fire but the experience needed to crack English conditions is lacking. Only Mohammad Abbas has played two Tests in the country and Yasir Shah has had a torrid time in England. ALSO READ: West Indies players to don 'Black Lives Matter' logo during England Test series "In terms of number of games, of course, England have tons of experience in their bowling," Azhar said. "But we have the skills: they [our bowlers] are young and have a lot to offer. They can give trouble to any team in the world. In a very short time, they have achieved a lot and that is a good sign. "You can't buy experience immediately, and for that you obviously have to play more, but then we have a very experienced coaching staff with Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed. Their expertise and knowledge can be utilised and they will be helping them. So I believe, when this combo of experience and skill is brought together, that we can produce a great result. I am confident about this. ALSO READ: Windies coach Simmons leaves bubble for funeral, tests negative twice for virus "About spinners, we are not really sure about the conditions at the time of the Test series. The weather right now is great there but it changes frequently and suddenly. We don't know how it will pan out this summer. We will bring our game plan according to the conditions. We have a larger pool of player and have a lot of flexible options in our touring party." Pakistan’s tour of England comprises three Tests starting the first week of August and as many T20Is ending in September.

Azhar Ali and Pakistan eye 'fragile' England top-order as series countdown begins

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced a 29-man squad for three Tests and as many T20Is against England slated to be played in August-September. An extended squad has been sent by the PCB, including white-ball specialists, in accordance with series SOPs in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic and will remain in England from start to end of the tour.&nbsp;

Highly rated Haider Ali has been named in the squad and it would be a perfect opportunity to hand a debut. Haider has been among runs in the ACC Emerging Teams Cup in Bangladesh, Quaid-e-Azam trophy and ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2020 before having a blistering campaign for Peshawar Zalmi in Pakistan Super League 2020.

Sohail Khan, who last played a Test for Pakistan in 2016, has also be named in the extended squad after impressive performances in the domestic circuit.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-vs-pakistan-mohammad-amir-haris-sohail-pull-out-of-tour-citing-personal-reasons-305183" hreflang="en">England vs Pakistan: Mohammad Amir, Haris Sohail pull out of tour citing personal reasons</a>

The Pakistan selection committee further named the likes of Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Imran Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Shoaib Malik and Wahab Riaz.

Bilal Asif, Imran Butt, Musa Khan and Mohammad Nawaz have been named as four reserves in case any of the players fail pre-tour COVID-19 tests, which will be carried out on June 20 and 25.&nbsp; 
Both Mohammad Amir and Haris Sohail have pulled out of the England tour citing personal reasons.

<h2>Pakistan 29-player squad for England tour:</h2>

Openers (4) – Abid Ali (Sindh, Lahore Qalandars), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lahore Qalandars), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan, Peshawar Zalmi) and Shan Masood (Southern Punjab, Multan Sultans)

Middle-order batsmen (9) – Azhar Ali (captain) (Central Punjab), Babar Azam (Test vice-captain and T20I captain) (Central Punjab, Karachi Kings), Asad Shafiq (Sindh, Multan Sultans), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Haider Ali (Northern, Peshawar Zalmi), Iftikhar Ahmad (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi Kings), Khushdil Shah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Multan Sultans), Mohammad Hafeez (Southern Punjab, Lahore Qalandars) and Shoaib Malik (Southern Punjab, Peshawar Zalmi)

Wicketkeepers (2) - Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi Kings) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh, Quetta Gladiators)

Fast bowlers (10) – Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab, Islamabad United), Haris Rauf (Northern, Lahore Qalandars), Imran Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Abbas (Southern Punjab), Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh, Quetta Gladiators), Naseem Shah (Central Punjab, Quetta Gladiators), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Northern, Lahore Qalandars), Sohail Khan (Sindh, Quetta Gladiators), Usman Shinwari (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lahore Qalandars) and Wahab Riaz (Southern Punjab, Peshawar Zalmi)

Spinners (4) – Imad Wasim (Northern, Karachi Kings), Kashif Bhatti (Sindh), Shadab Khan (Northern, Islamabad United) and Yasir Shah (Balochistan, Peshawar Zalmi).

Commenting on the squad, chief selector and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq said: “The selectors have picked a squad which gives us the best chance of success in England. It was a challenging process as the players have not played for an extended period of time, but nevertheless, with the month that we will have in England and the intense training we will undergo, we are confident we will get the players up to the mark to be ready for the three Tests.

“But the main focus of the selectors has been red-ball cricket, which we will play for nearly two months with the T20Is to be played at the backend of the ICC World Test Championship fixtures.

“The series against England will be challenging as our players have not played any competitive cricket since March, while the home team will come following a series against the West Indies. This means we will have to hit the ground running as soon as we land in England and make the best use of the training sessions and match practice before we enter the first Test.

“The players have also been selected with one eye on the future. I want these players to acquire as much cricket knowledge as possible from the additional backroom staff of Mushtaq Ahmed and Younis Khan that can help them post the England tour.

“Sohail Khan has been recalled to further strengthen our fast bowling department. He had two five-fors when he last played in England in 2016. The selectors also felt he bowled much better in the 2019-20 domestic season than his figures reflected.”

Officials:

Misbah-ul-Haq – Head Coach

Shahid Aslam – Assistant to Head Coach

Waqar Younis - &nbsp;Bowling Coach

Abdul Majeed – Fielding Coach

Yasir Malik – Strength and Conditioning Coach

Talha Butt – Team Analyst

Cliffe Deacon – Physiotherapist

Malang Ali – Masseur

Mansoor Rana – Team Manager

Col Usman Riffat Anwari (retd) – Team Security Manager

Raza Rashid – Team Media Manager

Additional team management:

Younis Khan – Batting Coach for England tour

Mushtaq Ahmed – Spin bowling coach for England tour

Dr Sohail Saleem – Team Doctor for England tour 
&nbsp;

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced a 29-man squad for three Tests and as many T20Is against England slated to be played in August-September. An extended squad has been sent by the PCB, including white-ball specialists, in accordance with series SOPs in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic and will remain in England from start to end of the tour.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced a 29-man squad for three Tests and as many T20Is against England slated to be played in August-September. An extended squad has been sent by the PCB, including white-ball specialists, in accordance with series SOPs in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic and will remain in England from start to end of the tour. Highly rated Haider Ali has been named in the squad and it would be a perfect opportunity to hand a debut. Haider has been among runs in the ACC Emerging Teams Cup in Bangladesh, Quaid-e-Azam trophy and ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2020 before having a blistering campaign for Peshawar Zalmi in Pakistan Super League 2020. Sohail Khan, who last played a Test for Pakistan in 2016, has also be named in the extended squad after impressive performances in the domestic circuit. ALSO READ: England vs Pakistan: Mohammad Amir, Haris Sohail pull out of tour citing personal reasons The Pakistan selection committee further named the likes of Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Imran Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Shoaib Malik and Wahab Riaz. Bilal Asif, Imran Butt, Musa Khan and Mohammad Nawaz have been named as four reserves in case any of the players fail pre-tour COVID-19 tests, which will be carried out on June 20 and 25. Both Mohammad Amir and Haris Sohail have pulled out of the England tour citing personal reasons. Pakistan 29-player squad for England tour: Openers (4) – Abid Ali (Sindh, Lahore Qalandars), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lahore Qalandars), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan, Peshawar Zalmi) and Shan Masood (Southern Punjab, Multan Sultans) Middle-order batsmen (9) – Azhar Ali (captain) (Central Punjab), Babar Azam (Test vice-captain and T20I captain) (Central Punjab, Karachi Kings), Asad Shafiq (Sindh, Multan Sultans), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Haider Ali (Northern, Peshawar Zalmi), Iftikhar Ahmad (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi Kings), Khushdil Shah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Multan Sultans), Mohammad Hafeez (Southern Punjab, Lahore Qalandars) and Shoaib Malik (Southern Punjab, Peshawar Zalmi) Wicketkeepers (2) - Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi Kings) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh, Quetta Gladiators) Fast bowlers (10) – Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab, Islamabad United), Haris Rauf (Northern, Lahore Qalandars), Imran Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Abbas (Southern Punjab), Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh, Quetta Gladiators), Naseem Shah (Central Punjab, Quetta Gladiators), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Northern, Lahore Qalandars), Sohail Khan (Sindh, Quetta Gladiators), Usman Shinwari (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lahore Qalandars) and Wahab Riaz (Southern Punjab, Peshawar Zalmi) Spinners (4) – Imad Wasim (Northern, Karachi Kings), Kashif Bhatti (Sindh), Shadab Khan (Northern, Islamabad United) and Yasir Shah (Balochistan, Peshawar Zalmi). Commenting on the squad, chief selector and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq said: “The selectors have picked a squad which gives us the best chance of success in England. It was a challenging process as the players have not played for an extended period of time, but nevertheless, with the month that we will have in England and the intense training we will undergo, we are confident we will get the players up to the mark to be ready for the three Tests. “But the main focus of the selectors has been red-ball cricket, which we will play for nearly two months with the T20Is to be played at the backend of the ICC World Test Championship fixtures. “The series against England will be challenging as our players have not played any competitive cricket since March, while the home team will come following a series against the West Indies. This means we will have to hit the ground running as soon as we land in England and make the best use of the training sessions and match practice before we enter the first Test. “The players have also been selected with one eye on the future. I want these players to acquire as much cricket knowledge as possible from the additional backroom staff of Mushtaq Ahmed and Younis Khan that can help them post the England tour. “Sohail Khan has been recalled to further strengthen our fast bowling department. He had two five-fors when he last played in England in 2016. The selectors also felt he bowled much better in the 2019-20 domestic season than his figures reflected.” Officials: Misbah-ul-Haq – Head Coach Shahid Aslam – Assistant to Head Coach Waqar Younis - Bowling Coach Abdul Majeed – Fielding Coach Yasir Malik – Strength and Conditioning Coach Talha Butt – Team Analyst Cliffe Deacon – Physiotherapist Malang Ali – Masseur Mansoor Rana – Team Manager Col Usman Riffat Anwari (retd) – Team Security Manager Raza Rashid – Team Media Manager Additional team management: Younis Khan – Batting Coach for England tour Mushtaq Ahmed – Spin bowling coach for England tour Dr Sohail Saleem – Team Doctor for England tour

Pakistan announce 29-player extended squad for England tour, youngster Haider Ali's inclusion creates Buzz

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