England National Cricket Team (Image Credits: Getty Images)
England National Cricket Team (Image Credits: Getty Images)

On the eve of the first Test match between England and Pakistan in Rawalpindi, the England team, including captain Ben Stokes, has been sick with a virus.

On Wednesday, it was speculated that 14 members of the traveling team of teammates and coaches take a rest at the hotel.

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Pakistan
Image Credit: Twitter

Liam Livingstone, a Lancashire all-rounder, is set to make his England Test debut, and Ben Duckett, the team’s starting quarterback, has been called up to play in his first Test in six years.

Players Joe Root, Zak Crawley, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope, and Keaton Jennings attended practice on Wednesday along with head coach Brendon McCullum.

The symptoms of those affected are not related to Covid-19 and the hope is there will be a recovery within 24 hours.

England, England Test Team
England test team. (Photo: AFP)

While Stokes has served as captain, England has not named a formal vice-captain, however, Pope skippered the squad in Stokes’ absence in a warm-up match against the England Lions last week.

The squad stopped traveling to Pakistan after a 2009 gunman attack on the Sri Lanka team bus, therefore this will be England’s first Test there in 17 years.

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Brendon McCullum promises that England will continue to entertain in Pakistan:

The first red-ball series England has played in Pakistan since 2005, Brendon McCullum insisted that England won’t stray from the positive attacking cricket they shown over the summer.

“We understand how passionate people are here in Pakistan about this form of cricket and we understand the obligation that we have as an England side, and we are looking forward to coming over here and playing an entertaining style of cricket which hopefully ends up in results, whether that’s in our favor or in Pakistan’s favor,” Brendon McCullum said.

Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes
Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes. (Photo: Twitter)

“Hopefully everyone that does dial into this series, not just in Pakistan but around the world, sees that international cricket is back in Pakistan and we’ve got a product that’s worth watching” Brendon McCullum Added.

Ben Stokes and co. will face Pakistan in three Tests, with matches in Multan and Karachi following the first clash in Rawalpindi.

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