England's tour of Pakistan: Second Test match shifted to Multan
What's the story
The upcoming England cricket team's tour of Pakistan has undergone a slight modification in its schedule. The second Test match, initially set to take place at the National Stadium in Karachi from October 15-19, has been relocated to Multan. Despite this change, the match dates remain unchanged and will now be held at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Here are the details.
Venue shift
Multan to host 2 Tests during England's tour
The venue change implies that Multan will now host the first two Tests of England's tour. The first Test is scheduled from October 7, while the third Test will proceed as planned in Rawalpindi from October 24-28. Both the England and Pakistan teams are expected to arrive in Multan on October 2, ahead of their series opener.
Renovation plans
Venue change due to renovation for ICC Champions Trophy
The reason behind the venue shift is that the Karachi stadium is currently under renovation. This refurbishment is in preparation for next year's ICC Champions Trophy, which will also be hosted at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium and Rawalpindi's Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Despite these minor adjustments, Usman Wahla, PCB Director - International, assured fans of a memorable tour and expressed excitement about welcoming the England men's cricket team back to Pakistan.
England
Ben Stokes to lead England versus Pakistan
Earlier this month, England's 17-member squad was announced for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan. The team will be led by Ben Stokes, who missed the Sri Lanka series at home due to an injury. Alongside Stokes, Zak Crawley has also been drafted back. Crawley missed the Sri Lanka series as well. Dan Lawrence, who filled in for Crawley during the Sri Lanka series, was not included in this squad.
Information
England squad to face Pakistan
Full squad: Ben Stokes, Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
Stokes
Stokes to undergo scan ahead of Pakistan tour
In recent development, England skipper Stokes is scheduled to undergo a scan for his hamstring injury. The 33-year-old all-rounder sustained the injury in early August, which led him to miss England's 2-1 series victory over Sri Lanka. Despite his injury, Stokes has continued training during his recovery period.