PAK vs ENG: Pakistan off to rocky start as Leach strikes twice

Pakistan got off to a rocky start in their second Test against England, losing two crucial wickets early on.

Captain Shan Masood, opting to bat first after winning the toss on a pitch that hosted the first Test, hopes to turn the tide after a humiliating defeat in the series opener.

With the second Test being held on the same pitch as the first match, it was Jack Leach who struck first, dismissing both Abdullah Shafique for just 7 runs and Shan Masood himself for a mere 3 runs off 7 balls

Pakistan stands at 56 runs for the loss of two wickets in 20.2 overs in the first innings. Saim Ayub on 28 runs off 49 balls and Kamran Ghulam on 18 runs off 38 balls at the crease.

Captain Shan Masood’s poor shot was caught easily after hitting his pads too hard, Stokes' aggressive fielding worked again, after scoring 3 runs off 7 balls.

Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first.

Earlier, Pakistan's captain, Shan Masood, won the toss and chose to bat first, stating that the team aims to set a big score against the visiting side to put them under pressure.

On this occasion, England's captain, Ben Stokes, expressed confidence, saying the team's morale is high after their victory in the first Test, and they aim to win the second Test to clinch the series.

Ben Stokes, who was injured during the first Test, made his return, while Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson were dropped from the squad.

Pakistan Squad:

• Captain Shan Masood

• Saeem Ayub

• Abdullah Shafiq

• Saud Shakeel

• Mohammad Rizwan

• Salman Ali Agha

• Kamran Ghulam

• Nauman Ali

• Zahid Mahmood

• Sajid Khan

 

England Squad:

• Captain Ben Stokes

• Zak Crawley

• Ben Duckett

• Ollie Pope

• Joe Root

• Harry Brook

• Jamie Smith

• Brendon McCullum

• Jack Leach

• Shoaib Bashir

Babar was among the four key players who were dropped from the Pakistani squad as PCB announced major changes to the team for second Test against after PCT's poor run in the opener.

It is the first time Babar has been dropped from the Pakistan team since his white-ball debut against Zimbabwe in Lahore in 2015 and Test baptism against the West Indies a year later.

Babar Azam, who served as Pakistan’s all-format captain until November, will watch from the sidelines along with leading pace bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, as announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday.

“We have made the decision to rest Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Shaheen Shah Afridi [from the Test squad],” selector Aqib Javed stated while revealing the squad.

Joining the squad are fast bowler Mohammad Ali and off-spinner Sajid Khan.

This is the first time Babar was left out of the Test squad since December 2020.

The right-handed batter has been struggling with form, failing to reach a Test fifty in his last 18 innings. His highest score in 2024 was just 31, achieved during the second Test against Bangladesh in September.

Selectors believe the move will allow the players to rest and rejuvenate.

Following Pakistan’s recent defeat, skipper Shan Masood and head coach Jason Gillespie expressed their support for Babar, stating he just needs time to find his form.

Once the International Cricket Council’s top-ranked batsman across all formats, Babar remains the number one in One Day Internationals but has seen a steep decline since the start of 2023.

He averaged below 21 in his last nine Tests, accumulating only 126 runs in six innings during the Australia series and 64 in two home Tests against Bangladesh last month.

Babar, Shaheen, and Naseem were dropped just two days after the PCB reshuffled its selection panel, bringing in former pace bowler Javed and Azhar Ali alongside the incumbent Asad Shafiq.

In an unusual move, the PCB also included former elite panel umpire Aleem Dar in the selection mix.