England Fast Bowler Stuart Broad Is Likely To Miss Test Tour In Pakistan

Stuart Broad, a key member of England’s pace bowling unit, is expected to miss the Test series against Pakistan in December because his fiancee, Mollie King, is expected to give birth before the end of the year, a report in Evening Standard has said.

England will play three Test matches, the first of which will be in Rawalpindi on December 1 and the other two in Multan and Karachi.

For the first time in 17 years, England will play a Test match on Pakistani soil. The Sri Lankan cricket team bus was attacked by terrorists in Lahore in 2009, ending their most recent tour of the subcontinent, which left Pakistan isolated.

In addition to the Test series, England will play seven T20 Internationals in Pakistan from September to October as part of their ICC T20 World Cup preparations. England will travel back to Pakistan for the three Test matches after the international event in Australia.

Stuart Broad has never played in Pakistan in his 15-year international career:

Due to the familial commitment, Broad “looks set to miss this winter’s tour,” the report continued. In his 15-year international playing career, the 36-year-old bowler has never competed in Pakistan.

After the current series against South Africa closes next month, if Broad does not make the tour, he will have to wait another five months to play red-ball cricket for England.

Given that, if he forgoes the Pakistan tour in December, the next opportunity for him would come in February 2023 when England plays two Tests against New Zealand, Broad would prefer to complete the current three-Test series against the Proteas on a high.

In the first Test match at Lord’s against South Africa, Broad had a disappointing performance, taking just one wicket as England fell short by an innings and 12 runs.

Also Read: IND vs ZIM: “You Have To Be Patient”: Saba Karim On How Selectors Should Handle Shubman Gill