After three years without a home Test win, Pakistan is eager to break the drought as they take on England in the first Test at Multan tomorrow. Both teams wrapped up their final practice sessions today at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Pakistan’s batters and spinners were in action, while the fast bowlers took the day off. However, the pitch remains an enigma, with both sides unsure about how it will play. England's stand-in captain, Ollie Pope, mentioned, "No one is 100% sure what surface we are going to be on."
Pakistan's Practice Highlights
Today’s practice session focused on skill-building, particularly on facing short-pitched deliveries. Vice-captain Shakeel and premium batter Babar Azam worked closely with high-performance coach Tim Neilson. Shakeel, who has faced challenges with short-pitched bowling, had a detailed session with Neilson during the nets. He practiced leaving balls outside his range and attempting hook and pull shots on deliveries in the zone.
Babar Azam initially worked on his footwork against spinners like Nauman Ali and a net bowler but later switched to the same net as Shakeel. Under Neilson’s guidance, Babar practiced against short-pitched bowling, sharpening his skills for the upcoming series.
Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Shan Masood was seen adopting an aggressive approach against leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed. Since his return to international cricket in 2022, Masood has embraced a more attacking style of play but has struggled to convert his starts into big centuries. His intent to dominate spin was evident during today’s practice.
Team Announcements
Both Pakistan and England have revealed their playing XIs for the first Test. Pakistan has recalled Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, who missed the previous Test against Bangladesh. However, Mir Hamza's exclusion has sparked debate, given his strong performance in the Rawalpindi Test. Masood addressed the pre-series press conference, explaining that Pakistan is rotating its fast bowlers to manage workloads. The return of Aamir Jamal, who took 18 wickets in three Tests during his debut series against Australia, bolsters Pakistan’s pace attack.
On the England side, the absence of captain Ben Stokes due to a hamstring injury is a significant blow. Pakistan will look to exploit England's relatively inexperienced bowling attack in Stokes' absence.
Playing XIs
Pakistan:
Abdullah Shafique
Saim Ayub
Shan Masood (C)
Babar Azam
Saud Shakeel
Mohammad Rizwan
Salman Agha
Aamir Jamal
Shaheen Afridi
Naseem Shah
Abrar Ahmed
England:
Zak Crawley
Ben Duckett
Ollie Pope (C)
Joe Root
Harry Brook
Jamie Smith
Chris Woakes
Gus Atkinson
Brydon Carse (Debut)
Jack Leach
Shoaib Bashir
As both teams prepare for tomorrow’s clash, Pakistan will aim to exploit England's new-look bowling attack, while England hopes the pitch and conditions won't present too many surprises.
