LEEDS: England won the toss and elected to bowl first against Pakistan in the opening Test of the three-match series at Headingley on Wednesday.
Pakistan enter the contest under stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha after regular skipper Babar Azam was ruled out of the series opener.
The visitors have named Azan Awais and Imam-ul-Haq at the top of the order, with Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique and Saud Shakeel forming the core of the batting line-up.
Mohammad Rizwan will keep wickets, while Pakistan’s bowling attack features Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali and experienced seamer Mohammad Abbas.
England, meanwhile, are led by Joe Root and have opted for a pace-heavy attack featuring Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson.
Pakistan eye turnaround
The Test marks Pakistan’s first red-ball series in England since 2020, when the hosts secured a 1-0 victory in a three-match contest, with two matches ending in draws.
Pakistan arrive with victory in their most recent Test after beating the West Indies to level that series 1-1, but their broader form remains a concern, having lost four of their previous five Tests.
England have also experienced an inconsistent run, losing three of their last five Tests, including a 2-1 series defeat against New Zealand.
ALSO READ: Babar Azam Ruled Out of First England Test
Historically, England hold the advantage in Tests between the two sides. They have won 30 of their 92 meetings, while Pakistan have recorded 23 victories and 39 matches have ended in draws.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha (c), Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Abbas.
England: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wk), Ollie Robinson, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue.
