England vs Pakistan: Multan Test Preview
Ben Stokes’ Absence and England’s Strategy
As the opening Test in Multan approaches, Pakistan’s Test captain Shan Masood is confident that England will maintain their strong performance despite the absence of their captain, Ben Stokes. Stokes is recovering from a hamstring injury that kept him out of recent matches. In his place, Ollie Pope will lead the team, having previously captained England to success against Sri Lanka.
Shan Masood’s Perspective
Masood acknowledges Stokes’ talent but believes England’s team remains balanced with capable all-rounders and spinners, including Joe Root. He reflects on past matches against England, noting opportunities for Pakistan to learn and improve.
Team Line-ups
| 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 | Jamie Smith (wk) |
| Salman Ali Agha | Chris Woakes |
| Aamir Jamal | Gus Atkinson |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | Brydon Carse |
| Naseem Shah | Jack Leach |
| Abrar Ahmed | Shoaib Bashir |
Doubts Revealed
Shan Masood -: Shan Masood is a cricketer from Pakistan who plays in Test matches, which are a type of cricket game that can last up to five days. He is the captain of the Pakistan Test cricket team.
England Performance -: This refers to how well the England cricket team is expected to play in the upcoming match against Pakistan. Performance means how good or bad they play in the game.
Ben Stokes -: Ben Stokes is a famous cricketer from England known for his all-round skills, meaning he is good at both batting and bowling. He is the captain of the England Test cricket team but will miss the Multan Test due to injury.
Multan Test -: The Multan Test is a cricket match that will be played in Multan, a city in Pakistan. Test matches are a format of cricket that can last up to five days.
Ollie Pope -: Ollie Pope is a cricketer from England who will lead the team in the Multan Test in place of Ben Stokes. He has experience in leading the team before.
Playing XI -: Playing XI refers to the eleven players from each team who will participate in the cricket match. It is the team lineup for the game.