PAK vs ENG: Pakistan announce playing XI for first Test against England

Pakistan cricket team has announced their playing XI for the first Test match against England, which is set to begin on October 7 in Multan.

In a press conference, Pakistan captain Shan Masood shared the final lineup, expressing confidence in the selected team. 

"This is our best XI; Aamer Jamal's inclusion will be very beneficial. We've kept our batting lineup consistent to maintain stability," Masood said.

Reflecting on their past series against England, where Pakistan narrowly missed victory, Masood talked about the strategies needed to face the Ollie Pope-led side. He also acknowledged the absence of England’s star all-rounder Ben Stokes, noting that it would impact the team but emphasized that England's playing XI is still strong.

“Stokes's absence will definitely affect England, but their playing XI is still strong, he is one of the world's best all-rounders," he further added.

Pakistan will be aiming to bounce back after their recent defeat against Bangladesh, where they lost the first Test by 10 wickets and the second by six wickets in August.

Pakistan's Playing XI for first Test:
Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (C), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel (VC), Mohammad Rizwan (Wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmad.

Schedule of Test series

Oct 7-11 – First Test, Multan

Oct 15-19 – Second Test, Multan

Oct 24-28 – Third Test, Rawalpindi