Pakistan face Select XI tomorrow

Pakistan will begin an important three-day warm-up match against the Professional County Club Select XI tomorrow as the national Test squad steps up preparations for the upcoming Test series against England.

The fixture will provide Pakistan’s players with a valuable opportunity to gain match practice and adapt further to English conditions before the Test series gets underway. The team management is expected to use the game to assess players’ form, fitness and readiness while also working on the best possible combination for the Tests.

The squad has been training at Kent County Cricket Club in Beckenham, with players continuing to focus on adjusting to the conditions. On the third day of preparations, an optional training session was held at the venue, with Awais Zafar, Azan Awais, Ghazi Ghori, Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah, Ali Usman, Abdullah Shafique and Saud Shakeel taking part.

The batting group made the most of the session, undertaking both indoor and outdoor practice. The batters worked extensively in the nets, focusing on technique, shot selection and building confidence against different types of bowling.

For Pakistan, the warm-up game against the Select XI will be more than just a practice fixture. It will give the players an opportunity to translate their work in the nets into competitive match situations and gain valuable experience of the pace, bounce and movement of English pitches.

The game will also be closely watched by the team management as they look to identify the players in the best form ahead of the Test series. Senior players such as Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel will be expected to provide experience, while the younger members of the squad will look to make a strong impression.

With the England Tests approaching, Pakistan will aim to make the most of the three-day fixture and complete their preparations on a positive note.

Meanwhile a 14-player squad has been selected for the Professional County Club Select XI to play a three-day fixture against Pakistan Men, which begins at Beckenham on Thursday.

Mike Yardy will step in as head coach, with the squad including an exciting mix of young talent in addition to players with international and domestic experience. Sussex all-rounder Tom Haines will captain the side.

Select XI: Shoaib Bashir (Derbyshire), Luc Benkenstein (Essex), Caleb Falconer (Middlesex), Matt Fisher (Surrey), Emilio Gay (Durham), Nathan Gilchrist (Warwickshire), Tom Haines (Sussex), Josh Hull (Leicestershire), Manny Lumsden (Hampshire), James Rew (Somerset), James Sales (Northamptonshire), Charlie Tear (Sussex), Noah Thain (Essex), Saif Zaib (Northamptonshire),