It is still all to play for as we head into the third and final test between Pakistan and England which is set to get underway on Thursday morning at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The series hangs in the balance after the first two matches in Multan were split, with England winning the first and Pakistan levelling proceedings with a victory last week.
Match preview
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This series as been a bit of a rollercoaster for Pakistan, which began with them making an unwanted piece of history, becoming the first team ever to lose a Test by an innings after scoring over 500 runs in their first knock.
That result extended the Shaheen’s losing streak in Test matches to six in a row and was also their seventh loss on home soil in their last nine, highlighting the difficulties the team have faced in recent times.
In an effort to end their dismal record, the Men in Green took a major gamble in match two, opting to use to same pitch as they did in the first game, and it paid off handsomely, as they pulled off a 152-run series-levelling victory.
The idea behind using the same strip a second time was to bring their spinners more into the match, and it worked a treat. With the help of sharp turn and unpredictable bounce, left-arm spinner Noman Ali took seven of the eight wickets that fell on Friday, finishing with an impressive 8/46 in the innings and match figures of 11/147.
Heading into the series decider, it seems that the hosts are employing similar tactics, with images circulating on social media revealing the use of six patio heaters, two industrial fans and two large windbreaks to dry the pitch and create conditions favorable for spin bowling.
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Meanwhile, England arrive in Rawalpindi looking to deny Pakistan their first series win since they beat South Africa in 2021, and head coach Brendon McCullum along with captain Ben Stokes conducted a thorough inspection of the pitch ahead of the team’s practice session on Tuesday.
In anticipation for a spin battle, the visitors have made a tactical change to their squad, bringing in leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed as a third spinning option, alongside Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir.
Leach, England’s leading wicket-taker in the series, took seven wickets in the first Test before adding another seven in the second match, and he will undoubtedly be Stokes’ key bowler in their effort to clinch the final game.
Fellow spinner Bashir has also shown promise in the series, with five of his six wickets coming in the second Test defeat, suggesting that the 21-year-old is rising to the challenge in the red-ball format and gaining confidence in favourable conditions.
With the bat, Joe Root, regarded as one of the world’s best players of spin, became the Three Lions’ all-time leading Test run-scorer in the opening Test and will likely be tasked with anchoring the innings against what should be a spin-barrage from their opponents.
Team News
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While Sajid Khan and Noman Ali claimed the headlines in the last match for taking all 20 wickets, debutant Kamran Ghulam‘s 118 off 224 balls in the first innings was equally crucial to the victory, and he will be looking to follow up in this match.
Shan Masood is expected to maintain a similar lineup in this one, though Zahid Mahmood failed to pick up a wicket in the last match and could be forced to make way here, potentially for Mohammad Ali.
As mentioned, England have opted to go with a spin-heavy lineup for this match drafting Rehan Ahmed, who last played against India in Rajkot earlier this year, as a third spin choice to support Leach and Bashir.
The only other confirmed change for the visitors in this match sees Matthew Potts making way for seamer Gus Atkinson, meaning that Stokes remains the only specialist all-rounder in the squad.
Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood
England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
Series so far
Test 1 of 3: England won by an innings and 47 runs
Pakistan – 556 & 220
England – 823/7d
Test 2 of 3: Pakistan won by 152 runs
Pakistan – 366 & 221
England – 291 & 144
We say: England to win
While Pakistan pulled off a sensational comeback win last time out, England are now wise to the challenge and have responded by opting to bring in a third specialist spinner, which could be a crucial factor in this match.
The hosts would have received a huge morale boost from the result in the second match in Multan, but the visitors’ experienced core could be telling in this clutch fixture, and we fancy them to secure this match and the series.
