England announce playing XI for first Test against Pakistan

The England cricket team has officially revealed their Playing XI for the highly anticipated first Test against Pakistan, set to commence on October 7 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

In a notable development, England's regular captain Ben Stokes will miss the match due to an ongoing hamstring injury. In his absence, Ollie Pope will step in as the stand-in captain.

Among the highlights of the squad, Durham seamer Brydon Carse is poised to make his Test debut, bringing fresh energy to the bowling lineup. Additionally, Jack Leach makes his return to the Test arena for the first time since January, while Zak Crawley is back after recovering from a broken finger sustained earlier this summer.

The first Test will see England face off against the Pakistan team, led by Shan Masood, in what promises to be an exciting series.

England Playing XI for first Pakistan Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (C), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse (Debut), Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir.

Schedule:

• Oct 7-11 – First Test, Multan
• Oct 15-19 – Second Test, Multan
• Oct 24-28 – Third Test, Rawalpindi