Pakistan vs England, 1st Test: All you need to know
The England men's cricket team has arrived in Pakistan for a three-match Test series, with the first match set to commence on Monday, October 7. The series opener will be held at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Ben Stokes, a key player for England, will be absent from this initial match due to a hamstring injury. In his place, Ollie Pope will captain the visiting team. Here is the first Test preview.
Weather forecast and pitch report for the match
The first Test between Pakistan and England is scheduled to start at 10:30am IST. The AccuWeather forecast predicts temperatures ranging from 34 to 38 degrees Celsius in Multan over the next five days, with a 40% chance of rain on Tuesday (October 8). Meanwhile, the track is expected to favor the baters. Pacers can get assistance early on. The match will not be broadcast live in India but can be streamed via the FanCode app and website.
England's recent dominance in head-to-head encounters
In their last five Test matches, England have dominated Pakistan with three victories and two draws. England's last Test tour of Pakistan saw them record a 3-0 clean sweep in 2022. As far as the overall head-to-head record is concerned, England have won 29 and lost 21 Tests, while 39 of them have been drawn. In Pakistan, England have five wins, four defeats, and 18 draws against the hosts.
Shan Masood to lead Pakistan amid criticism
Shan Masood, who has not yet secured a Test match victory as Pakistan's captain, will lead the home team. The left-handed batter is under pressure to perform well in this first Test. His leadership skills and position in the team have been questioned by critics. It remains uncertain whether Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah will be included in the playing XI after their exclusion from the second Test against Bangladesh in August-September.
Can Pakistan challenge England?
Following their 2-1 home victory against Sri Lanka, England are entering the three-match series with Pakistan as favorites. Meanwhile, Pakistan's last Test assignment saw them lose 0-2 to Bangladesh at home. It will be interesting to see if Masood's men can turn their fortunes or not. Notably, several players in the England XI are not too familiar with Asian tracks.
Predicted line-ups for the match
Notably, England have confirmed their XI for the first Test. Pakistan (Probable XI): Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (C), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Agha Salman, Aamir Jamal, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed. England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (C), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jake Leach and Shoaib Bashir.
Here are the key performers
As per ESPNcricinfo, Joe Root has enjoyed playing against Pakistan in Tests, having scored 1,135 runs against them in 15 games (Average: 49.34). Babar Azam has scored 611 Test runs against the English team at a phenomenal average of 61.10. The likes of Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope have smashed over 700 Test runs this year. Shaheen Afridi has 31 wickets at 29.03 in home Tests.
