Following a major overhaul to their Test squad, here’s Pakistan’s predicted XI for the second Test against England.
Pakistan have left out all of Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Babar Azam for the last two Tests of the series. Abrar Ahmed is also out through illness, meaning they will be forced to make at least four changes to the playing XI. With the pitch at Multan set to be re-used, spin could be more of a factor too.
Openers:
Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique
Shafique scored a hundred in the first innings against Multan, overturning a poor run of form that had seen him score 42 runs in his last six innings. He followed it up with a duck - his fourth in his last eight innings - but with Pakistan already making wholesale changes, he is likely to hold on to his place.
Ayub might face a stiff challenge from Mohammad Huraira in the XI but with the selectors deciding to back him in the squad, he is likely to play the second Test. Ayub had scored two fifties against Bangladesh and also impressed with his temperament in the only Test he played in Australia, top-scoring with 33 for the side.
Middle order:
Shan Masood, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Agha Salman
Masood made 151 in the last game but will hope for a better game as captain, having lost all six matches he has led in Test cricket. Shakeel is the vice-captain of the side and made 104* in the first innings at Multan. Salman is the second-highest run-scorer for Pakistan this year, averaging 56.66 and is the in-form batter with four successive scores of more than 40, including two fifties and a hundred.
Ghulam is likely to make his debut in the second Test, taking the No.4 slot left vacant by Babar Azam. Ghulam, who played one ODI back in January 2023, has played 59 first-class matches with 16 hundreds. Last season, he played 15 first-class matches, making 1,203 runs at an average of 57.28. He made 599 runs in seven Quaid-e-Azam matches, with three hundreds and two fifties, averaging 66.55. The other batting options in the squad are the aforementioned Huraira, and wicketkeeper Haseebullah.
Wicketkeeper:
Mohammad Rizwan
Mohammad Rizwan is the only player who has made more than 400 runs for Pakistan in 2024, playing important knocks whenever his team has been in trouble. While his high score of 171* stands out, it was his 103-ball 88 at Sydney after his team had slipped to 47-4 that showed his mettle.
Pacers:
Mir Hamza, Aamer Jamal
Jamal, who made his debut last December, has already become one of Pakistan’s most important members of the side. With the ball, he has picked up 19 wickets in four Tests at an average of 26, often overshadowing the senior Shaheen Afridi. His batting contributions have been vital as well. His 82 in Sydney, partnering Rizwan, took the total above 300, while his 55* in Multan against England gave hopes of a resistance.
Hamza played the Rawalpindi Test against Bangladesh, replacing Shaheen in the XI. While he averages 42.08 in the format, his left-arm angle could help him edge ahead of Mohammad Ali.
Spinners:
Noman Ali, Sajid Khan
Noman last played a Test in July 2023 while Sajid has not featured since the Australian tour. However, with Abrar Ahmed missing out due to an illness and the Multan wicket being re-used for the second Test, Pakistan will likely opt for two spinners, and Zahid Mahmood, who last played in England's last tour in 2022, and Mehran Mumtaz, an inexperienced 21-year-old slow left-armer, are the two most likely to miss out.
Predicted: The Pakistan XI for the second England Test
1. Saim Ayub
2. Abdullah Shafique
3. Shan Masood (c)
4. Saud Shakeel
5. Kamran Ghulam
6. Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
7. Agha Salman
8. Aamer Jamal
9. Mir Hamza
10. Noman Ali
11. Sajid Khan
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