WATCH: England team arrives in Multan for Test series against Pakistan

England team landed on October 1 and will take a short break on October 2 and 3 before commencing practice sessions on October 4

PHOTO: PCB

The England cricket team, under the leadership of all-rounder Ben Stokes, has officially arrived in Multan to kick off their highly anticipated Test series against Pakistan. The squad landed on October 1 and will take a short break on October 2 and 3 before commencing practice sessions on October 4.

The first Test match is set to begin on October 7 at the Multan Cricket Stadium. This series will consist of three Test matches, with the first two being held in Multan and the third scheduled for Rawalpindi. Originally, the second Test was slated to take place in Karachi; however, due to ongoing renovations at the Karachi stadium in preparation for the upcoming 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, the match was relocated to Multan.

This tour marks England's return to Pakistan for Test cricket after their successful 2022 visit, during which they made history by clinching a 3-0 series victory. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed its enthusiasm for hosting England once again and is committed to ensuring a memorable experience for both teams and fans.

Significantly, this series forms part of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle, highlighting the competitive spirit of international Test cricket. Notably, eight key members of the England squad, including Stokes, Harry Brook, Rehan Ahmed, and Joe Root, were instrumental in their previous triumph in Pakistan in December 2022.

England squad for Pakistan Test series: Ben Stokes (C), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

Pakistan squad for first Test against England: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi, Zahid Mehmood.

Pakistan, England Test series schedule: