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The Pakistan National Cricket Team is currently on a tour to England for a three-match Test series. England completely outplayed their opponents in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds. They won the match by an innings and 103 runs. In the first game, Pakistan missed their regular captain, Babar Azam, with a finger injury. He is set to come back in the second game.
Pakistan could not bat for 100 overs in two innings, which showcased their vulnerability against swing bowling and English conditions. For the Men in Green, only one batter scored a half-century in both innings; Abdullah Shafique scored 61 runs in the first innings. Apart from him, no batter could cross the 45-run mark.
Babar Azam to return in second Test
As per the reports from GeoNews, if Babar Azam is back in the side, opener Azan Awais will be dropped. The opening batter failed to have an impact in both innings as he went back for a duck in the first innings and 9 runs in the second. This would be a big setback for the young cricketer, who has just played five matches so far.
After the match, in the post-match press conference, stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha confirmed that Babar will be back in the second game and he will be happy to hand over the captaincy to the 31-year-old batter. Pakistan needed solidarity in the middle order, which they failed to have in the first game; with Babar Azam reported to be back, it will be solved.
Pakistan have won 9 away Tests since 2021, all under the leadership of Babar Azam, which showcases his impact in the team. Babar Azam recently won the Test match against West Indies, which marked their first away victory in three years.
Mohammad Rizwan to be dropped?
Apart from him, as the source revealed, there will be some other changes in the playing XI as well. According to reports, veteran wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan could be rested for the second Test. Rizwan did not have the best of outings, scoring 12 in the first innings and 41 in the second. He was also criticized for playing rash shots.
They could also go with two frontline spinners at Lord's, as sources stated that the pitch is expected to be dry and relatively flat, and that London pitches are being taken into consideration. Sajid Khan is the only spinner left with them who, alongside Ali Usman, who performed well, picking a fifer in the match, could feature in the second game.
Reportedly, pacer Ubaid Shah is also in the talks to feature in the forthcoming Test match. The young 20-year-old pacer has played in just one Test match, and his pace will be one of the reasons he could feature in the XI.
Salman Ali Agha slams Pakistan's batting
Salman Ali Agha pointed out Pakistan’s weakness and their repeated mistakes, which cost the game. He also admitted that England had outplayed Pakistan. He also failed to make much impact in the match and believed they had come to England a week earlier, which is not ideal for a team getting used to the conditions.
Agha also cited an inexperienced batting lineup and the bowlers' failure to exploit early dampness to pick wickets. Despite criticism, he backed the pace attack and believed they performed well.
