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England v Pakistan

England v Pakistan: Team of the series

by Wisden Staff 6 minute read

Amidst all the doom and gloom of the weather, there was some high-class cricket on show across the three Tests between England and Pakistan. Here’s Wisden.com’s team of the series.

Shan Masood

179 runs @ 35.80, HS: 156

He hit just 23 runs in his last four innings of the series, but the opening salvo was a special one. Having endured a miserable time of it on the tour of 2016, Masood found redemption with a 319-ball 156 in the first innings of the series, one of the finest hands by a visiting opener on these shores in recent years.

Abid Ali

139 runs @ 27.80, HS: 60

There are few tougher gigs than opening in England against the cherry-red Dukes, so it was always unlikely that Abid Ali would continue the dream start to his Test career, having returned two tons in his three home matches. Nevertheless, he didn’t roll over easy, with a 162-ball 42 in his final innings of the series demonstrating plenty of spirit.

Zak Crawley

320 runs @ 160, HS: 267

The 22-year-old returned to the No.3 slot in the second Test after Ben Stokes withdrew from the series, and while a fluent 53 showed promise, what followed was simply remarkable. His 267 was the tenth-highest individual score by an England batsman, placing him in-between Cook (263 v Pakistan) and Compton (278 v Pakistan). England have found one.

Azhar Ali

210 runs @ 52.50, HS: 141*

The pressure was on when Azhar strode to the crease in the third Test, 38 runs from his three previous innings and an average of 26 since he was appointed Test captain last year. But rather than fall prey to the noise surrounding his position, as well as the rampaging James Anderson, the veteran went to his 17th Test century and his first away from Pakistan and the UAE since May 2017.

Babar Azam

195 runs @ 48.75, HS: 69

The sweetest timer in the land was unable to reel off a biggie and stamp his mark over the series, but he still merits a spot here. He was the star of the first day of the series with a quite gorgeous knock of 69, just as you would have expected it to be.

Jos Buttler

265 runs @ 88.33, HS: 152

He won’t take the gloves in this side, but what a series it was for the white-ball master still getting to grips with the red. He admitted that he was hanging on when time came for him to deliver in the chase at Old Trafford, but he seemed a man in total control while sweeping Yasir Shah out of the rough in his match-winning hand. He closed out his summer with his second Test century and was named England’s player of the series.

Mohammad Rizwan (wk)

161 runs @ 40.25, HS: 72

Immaculate behind the stumps and a fighting presence with the bat – he finished the series with back-to-back half-centuries – Rizwan was Pakistan’s most consistent performer across the three Tests. Deservedly named Pakistan’s player of the series.

Chris Woakes

143 runs @ 71.50, HS: 84* | 6 wickets @ 27.50, BBI: 2-11

Horribly out of nick with the bat, Woakes played the innings of his career to take England over the line in the first Test with an unbeaten 84. Typically tidy with the ball too.

Stuart Broad

13 wickets @ 16.15, BBI: 4-56

Broad kept up his momentum from a wicket-laden West Indies series to finish as the top wicket-taker across both sides, closing out his summer with 29 wickets at 13. Throw in 124 runs at 41.33 and it’s been quite the turnaround since his omission from the first Test in July.

Yasir Shah

11 wickets @ 33.45, BBI: 4-66

Pakistan’s tenacious leggie takes the role as the sole spinner in this side, with the bulk of his wickets coming in the first Test as he fought to the wire in trying to deliver victory.

James Anderson

11 wickets @ 23.45, BBI: 5-56

Write him off at your peril. After picking up 1-97 in the series opener, Anderson was back to his best by the end of the series, picking up seven wickets despite a number of mishaps from his colleagues in the field. The first quick to 600 Test wickets. Ridiculous.

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