On Sunday (October 6), Pakistan named their playing XI for the first Test against England as a trio of fast bowlers returned to the side.
Pakistan's last engagement in red-ball cricket had seen them slump to a 2-0 series defeat at home against Bangladesh, a team they never lost so much as a match against before.
In the second Test of that series, fast bowler Shaheen Afridi had been left out due to a combination of his steady dip in form, as well as his new status as a father. He had endured a difficult time in the first Test as well.
Pakistan playing XI for first England Test: Shaheen, Naseem, Jamal return
Shaheen has been reinstated to the Pakistan team for the first Test against England, and will form part of a three-pronged attack alongside two more returning pacers in Naseem Shah and Aamir Jamal. Naseem, like Shaheen, had also been left out of the second Test against Bangladesh.
Jamal had been included in Pakistan's squad for the Bangladesh series, but was withdrawn ahead of the first Test as he had not received a fitness clearance to take part.
He impressed in his debut Test series for Pakistan nearly a year ago, taking 18 wickets in three Tests against Australia to finish as the second-highest wicket-taker after Australian captain Pat Cummins. Jamal also scored a fighting 82 from No.9 in the third Test in Sydney.
The three players who make way for Shaheen, Naseem and Jamal are Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali and Mir Hamza. Shahzad was the most impressive of the three in the second Bangladesh Test, as he picked up 6-90, helping reduce the visitors to 26-6 before they pulled off a superb recovery.
Spinner Abrar Ahmed keeps his place in the XI, and Pakistan's top seven remains as is from their previous fixture. England announced their playing XI yesterday, and they will be without captain Ben Stokes who is recovering from a hamstring injury.
Pakistan playing XI for first Test against England
- Saim Ayub
- Abdullah Shafique
- Shan Masood (c)
- Babar Azam
- Saud Shakeel
- Salman Ali Agha
- Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
- Aamir Jamal
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Naseem Shah
- Abrar Ahmed
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