England opt to bowl first at Headingley as Salman Ali Agha leads Pakistan in the series opener following Babar Azam’s absence.
LEEDS: England won the toss and elected to bowl first against Pakistan in the opening Test of the three-match series at Headingley on Wednesday, putting the visitors under early pressure in their first red-ball series in England since 2020.
Pakistan enter the contest with a reshuffled side after Babar Azam was ruled out of the opener. Salman Ali Agha has taken over as stand-in captain, while Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel return to the playing XI.
Pakistan have also opted for a pace-heavy attack, selecting only one specialist spinner, Ali Usman. The bowling group includes Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Abbas.
Pakistan XI: Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha (c), Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Abbas.
England have named a strong combination featuring Joe Root, Harry Brook and returning fast bowler Jofra Archer. Jamie Smith will keep wickets, while Gus Atkinson, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue provide further pace options.
England XI: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wk), Ollie Robinson, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue.
The two sides have met 92 times in Test cricket, with England holding the historical advantage. England have won 30 matches, Pakistan 23, while 39 encounters have ended in draws.
Their most recent Test series in England came in 2020, when England won the three-match contest 1-0. The remaining two matches ended in draws.
Both teams arrive with something to prove. England have lost three of their last five Tests, including a 2-1 series defeat against New Zealand. Pakistan have won only one of their previous five Tests and will be looking to reverse that poor run in challenging English conditions.
With England choosing to bowl first, Pakistan’s opening batters face the immediate task of surviving the new-ball spell and establishing a platform for the middle order. The first session could prove crucial in determining the early momentum of the Leeds Test.
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