England team arrives in Multan ahead of Test series against Pakistan

New Delhi:  England men’s Test team has arrived in Multan ahead of a three-match series against Pakistan. England will play the first two Tests in Multan, starting on October 7 and 15, respectively, followed by a match in Rawalpindi beginning on October 24.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared a video of the Ben Stokes-led side arriving in the country and receiving a traditional welcome on their way of checking into the hotel. “England’s Test team receives a traditional welcome as they arrive in Multan!” wrote the PCB on its X account.

England had clinched a 3-0 victory over Pakistan on their last trip in the country in December 2022. The upcoming Tests in Multan and Rawalpindi are a part of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle. England are at fourth place in the WTC standing with 42.19 point percentage, while Pakistan are at 19.05 point percentage to be at eighth position.

While England come on the back of winning Test series against West Indies and Sri Lanka at home, Pakistan enter the three-game series after suffering a 2-0 series loss to Bangladesh at Rawalpindi.

Pakistan last won a Test match at home in February 2021, when they beat South Africa by 95 runs at Rawalpindi. The side’s downfall in performances in all three formats of the game, coupled with recent resignation of Babar Azam as the white-ball skipper, has meant Pakistan has been under fire from various people in the cricketing fraternity for its performances and off-field changes in the PCB.

Pakistan squad for first Test: 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.

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

–IANS