England announced a spin-heavy bowling attack on Tuesday as they announced the playing 11 for the series-deciding third Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
Rehan Ahmed, the leg-spinner, will be England’s third spin option, along with Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir, to form a three-pronged spin attack for the all-important Test that begins on Thursday.
The three-match series is level 1-1 after England won the first Test by an inning and 47 runs in Multan. Pakistan, however, made major changes to the side by dropping the star players, Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah. This resulted in the side picking up their first Test win under Shan Masood’s captaincy.
The likes of Nouman Ali and Sajid Khan proved to be too good for the English batters as they racked up all 20 wickets between each other to help Pakistan level the series with a win by 152 runs.
Another major change made by the visitors is the inclusion of Gus Atkinson as the side’s lone fast-bowler. Both Ahmed and Atkinson replace the likes of Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts.
Ahmed had made his Test debut during the 2022 tour of Pakistan where he picked up a five-wicket haul in Karachi. He makes his way back into the Test side with his last game being the Test against India in Rajkot.
England have likely been prompted to go with a spin-heavy attack after seeing another grass-less pitch prepared at Rawalpindi with Pakistan deploying industrial-sized fans and patio heaters to dry the square.
England’s XI for 3rd Test vs PAK: Ben Stokes (captain), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir
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