Pakistan vs England: A Battle of Milestones
Multan Test Match Overview
The first Test match between Pakistan and England is underway in Multan. Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first in this three-match series. The spotlight is on star players Babar Azam from Pakistan and Joe Root from England, both of whom are on the brink of achieving significant milestones in their cricket careers.
Babar Azam’s Quest for Runs
Babar Azam, a key player for Pakistan, has played 54 Test matches, scoring 3,982 runs with an average of 44.51. He is just 18 runs away from reaching 4,000 Test runs, making him the 12th-highest run-scorer for Pakistan in Tests. In international cricket, Babar has accumulated 13,836 runs in 295 matches, with an average of 47.54. He needs 164 more runs to become the fifth player to reach 14,000 international runs. However, Babar’s recent form in Test cricket has been challenging, with only 266 runs in his last eight Tests.
Joe Root’s Impressive Form
Joe Root, representing England, is in excellent form. During the current ICC World Test Championship cycle, he has scored 1,398 runs in 17 Tests, averaging 53.76. Root has a total of 19,817 international runs, needing just 183 more to become the first England player to reach 20,000 runs. In Test cricket, Root has scored 12,402 runs and is only 71 runs away from surpassing Alastair Cook as England’s leading Test run-scorer.
Team Standings
England is currently fourth in the ICC World Test Championship standings, while Pakistan is eighth. The teams are competing with the following players:
| Pakistan Playing XI | England Playing XI |
|---|---|
| Saim Ayub | Zak Crawley |
| Abdullah Shafique | Ben Duckett |
| Shan Masood (c) | Ollie Pope (c) |
| Babar Azam | Joe Root |
| Saud Shakeel | Harry Brook |
| Mohammad Rizwan (w) | Jamie Smith (w) |
| Agha Salman | Chris Woakes |
| Aamer Jamal | Gus Atkinson |
| Shaheen Afridi | Brydon Carse |
| Naseem Shah | Jack Leach |
| Abrar Ahmed | Shoaib Bashir |
Doubts Revealed
Babar Azam -: Babar Azam is a famous cricketer from Pakistan. He is known for being a very good batsman and is the captain of the Pakistan cricket team.
Joe Root -: Joe Root is a well-known cricketer from England. He is also a top batsman and has been the captain of the England cricket team.
Test match -: A Test match is a type of cricket game that lasts up to five days. It is the longest format of cricket and is considered very challenging.
Multan -: Multan is a city in Pakistan where the cricket match is being played. It is known for its rich history and cultural heritage.
Milestones -: In cricket, milestones are important achievements like scoring a certain number of runs. Babar Azam and Joe Root are close to reaching big milestones in their careers.
ICC World Test Championship -: The ICC World Test Championship is a tournament for Test cricket teams. It ranks teams based on their performance in Test matches.
Playing XI -: Playing XI refers to the eleven players selected to play in a cricket match for each team. It is the final team lineup for the game.
