England Men’s Team will play the first two tests in Multan, starting on October 7 and 15, respectively, followed by a match in Rawalpindi beginning on October 24.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) tweeted a video of the Ben Stokes-led team coming in the country and enjoying a traditional greeting as they checked into their hotel. “England’s Test team receives a traditional welcome as they arrive in Multan!” the PCB said on its X account. England Men’s Team won 3-0 over Pakistan on their last visit to the country in December 2022.
The next tests in Multan and Rawalpindi are part of the current World Test Championship calendar. England Men’s Team is now fourth in the WTC standings with 42.19 point %, while Pakistan is eighth with 19.05 point percentage. While England had won Test series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka at home, Pakistan enters the three-game series off a 2-0 setback to Bangladesh in Rawalpindi. Pakistan last won a Test match at home in February 2021, defeating South Africa by 95 runs in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan’s decline in performance in all three formats of the game, combined with the recent resignation of Babar Azam as white-ball skipper, has resulted in criticism from various members of the cricketing world for its performances and off-field changes in the PCB.
Pakistan squad for first Test
Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
England squad for Test Series
Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
Also Read: Babar Azam resigns from White Ball Captaincy via Instagram post.