PAK vs ENG, Pakistan Playing 11 vs England (Predicted), England tour of Pakistan 2022, 1st Test

PAK vs ENG, Pakistan Playing 11 vs England (Predicted), England tour of Pakistan 2022, 1st Test. PAK vs ENG 1st Test starts at 10: 00 AM on December 1 (Thursday). The three Tests between Pakistan and England are part of the ICC World Test Championship’s second cycle 2021-23 and are scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi (December 1-5), Multan (December 9-13), and Karachi (December 17-21).

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The upcoming Tests against England is Pakistan’s fifth series in the current WTC cycle — their last series will be the two Tests against New Zealand at home in December 2022 and January 2023. These three Tests will be England’s final appearance in the second edition of the World Test Championship, where they are ranked seventh as compared to Pakistan’s fifth position in the table.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, Salman Agha, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Abrar Ahmed, Zahid Mahmood, Mohammad Nawaz, Azhar Ali, Mohammad Ali.

Pakistan has not lost a Test Match at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium since cricket resumed in the country. England hasn’t won a game away from home in the last 10 Test Matches they have played. England lacks a good spin bowling attack, and this will be a weakness on a turning Rawalpindi track.

Pakistan lost the last home series against Australia, and they will aim for a better show here using the home advantage. England lost the last series against West Indies, and the side would be eager for a positive performance in this game.

The English team has struggled in away tours over the last two years. They don’t have any entry in the victory column away from home in the last 10 games. The lack of a world-class spinner hurts the side’s balance. Pakistan would make lives challenging for the visitors, and it will be interesting to see how the English players cope with the challenge.

England finished its first tour to Pakistan in 17 years with a thumping 67-run win in their T20I decider to clinch the exciting seven-match T20I series 4-3 prior to the 3 Test series. Before the first Test match that will be played in Rawalpindi from December 1, 2022, the England cricket team have dealt with a massive blow to their fast bowling unit.  After 17 years, it is time for England to play against Pakistan in a three-match Test series.

England played a seven-match T20 series before the start of the 2022 T20 World Cup but as of now, they will be competing in their white flannels.

The Pakistan side would look for a good start in this game, and openers Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq knows these conditions well. The middle order is formidable for the team, and they have Babar Azam and Azhar Ali in good form. Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, and Faheem Ashraf add solidity to this line-up and will look to contribute in the lower middle order.

Their bowling attack world needs to use the conditions well. Mohammad Waseem and Naseem Shah shall look to make good use of the new ball. Haris Rauf is an experienced bowler, and he will look to put the English batsmen under pressure. Mohammad Nawaz, Saud Shakeel, and Nauman Ali must fox the opposition with their variety.

Pakistan will go up against England in the upcoming Test series, scheduled to begin on December 1 (Thursday) in Rawalpindi, with the team management reportedly having finalized the playing XI. The home team skipper Babar Azam and 11 others have been reportedly included in the Test squad. Two Pakistani cricketers will make their Test debuts.

Fast bowler Haris Rauf and leg spinner Abrar Ahmed are strong contenders to play the Rawalpindi match, while three all-rounders are expected to be included in the squad. Left-hand spinner Mohammad Nawaz will be playing at his home ground for the first time, while Salman Ali Agha and Faheem Ashraf are also among the expected all-rounders to be included in the team. Abdullah Shafiq and Imam-ul-Haq are expected to be placed as openers.

The expected squad will include captain Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafiq, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, and Salman Ali Agha. Other players expected to join the team are Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmed.

The home team will miss strike bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is out of the series with a knee injury, while veteran spinner Yasir Shah has been dropped after struggling for form. An inexperienced pace attack will be led by Naseem Shah, who has played 13 Tests, while Haris Rauf and Mohammad Wasim Jr are both in line to make their Test debuts.

Pakistan Probable XI– Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Shan Masood, Azhar Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Nauman Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf

PAK vs ENG, Pakistan Playing 11 vs England (Predicted), England tour of Pakistan 2022, 1st Test

Abdullah Shafique

Abdullah Shafique has played 7 Tests since debuting in 2021 against Bangladesh. He has amassed 736 runs averaging 66.9 which includes 2 tons and 4 fifties. His career-best score of 160* came against Sri Lanka at Galle in July 2022. He had also scored 136* against Australia in Rawalpindi in March 2022.

Imam-ul-Haq

Imam-ul-Haq has played 16 Tests amassing 973 runs averaging 34.75. He had scored 2 tons and 4 fifties with 157 being his highest score coming against Australia in Rawalpindi in March 2022. He scored 111* in the 2nd innings of the same Test.

Babar Azam (c)

Babar Azam, the Pakistan skipper has played 42 Tests amassing 3122 runs averaging 47.3 with 7 tons and 23 fifties. His highest is 196. It came against Australia in Karachi in March 2022. He amassed 390 runs in 3 Tests averaging 78 against Australia and 271 runs averaging 67.75 in 2 Tests against Sri Lanka in 2022.

Mohammad Rizwan (wk)

Mohammad Rizwan,  the Pakistan keeper has played 24 Tests amassing 1232 runs averaging 41.06 which includes 2 tons and 7 fifties. He is in a purple patch in T20Is where he averages 48.79 and was the leading run getter in Asia Cup 2022 and New Zealand Tri Series 2022. His highest Test score is 115* which came against South Africa in Rawalpindi in February 2021. His other ton -104* came against Australia in Karachi in March 2022

Shan Masood

Shan Masood has featured in 25 Tests and has amassed 1378 runs averaging 29.31 which includes 4 tons and 6 fifties. His highest score of 156 came against England in Manchester in 2020. He has also scored 2 tons against Sri Lanka and 1 ton against Bangladesh. His last Test came in January 2021 against New Zealand.

Azhar Ali

Azhar Ali, the former Pakistan skipper, has featured in 95 Tests and has amassed 7030 runs averaging 42.6 with 19 tons and 35 fiftes. He debuted way back in 2010. His highest score of 302* came against West Indies in 2016 while he has also scored two more double tons.

Mohammad Nawaz

Mohammad Nawaz, the spin all-rounder, has played only 5 Tests where he scored only 98 runs averaging 14 ad has taken 15 scalps averaging 27.2. He however debuted way back in 2016 in Tests against West Indies.

Nauman Ali

Nauman Ali, the 36 year old spinner, has featured in only 11 Tests where he picked 30 scalps averaging 34.23 and also scored 204 runs averaging 22.66. He debuted in Tests in 2021 after Yasir Ali’s form deteriorated.

Mohammad Wasim Jr

Mohammad Wasim Jr., the right arm medium pacer is yet to debut in Tests but has featured in 8 ODIs and 26 T20Is to date, where he picked 15 and 34 scalps respectively. He is expected to feature in the 1st Test against England as Shaheen Shah Afridi is injured.

Naseem Shah

Naseem Shah is surprisingly the most experienced pacer in Pakistan’s lineup as Shaheen Shah Afridi is injured and is ruled out of the Test series against England.

The teenager has picked 33 scalps in 13 Tests averaging 36.3. The pacer is only 19 years old and is one of the youngest pacers playing their trade in Tests. He debuted in Tests in 2019 against Australia. His best figures are 5/31.

Haris Rauf

Haris Rauf is another pacer who is yet to debut in Tests but has done well in the limited-overs. The 29-year-old pacer is one of Pakistan’s pace bowling spearheads in white ball cricket and has picked 72 scalps in 57 T20Is and 29 scalps in 15 ODIs. His average is below 26 in both formats.