Predicting the accurate Pakistan playing XI for the ENG vs PAK 3rd Test would get you great odds. For, the PCB made a wholesale of changes, including the coaches, after Pakistan went 2-0 down in the three-Test series.
The third and last Test of the England vs Pakistan series will kick off on September 9, Wednesday, at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
In a move never witnessed before in the 21st century, the PCB opted to drop seven players and two coaches mid-series as Babar Azam’s team was thrashed by 194 runs at Lord’s following the innings defeat at Leeds.
There are also reports suggesting that the PCB has launched an official investigation into serious issues of indiscipline and misconduct by some players on the England tour, though those were forced by undescribed “media reports.”
There are rumors of strife between those in England, including former head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and captain Babar Azam, and those in Pakistan, particularly the PCB’s director of high performance and one of four selectors, Aaqib Javed.
Which players have been dropped and picked in the Pakistan squad for 3rd Test against England?
Coming back to the squad news, Pakistan dropped these seven players from the squad: Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Mohammad Rizwan, Azan Zafar, Ali Usman, and Khurram Shahzad. They have been replaced in the squad by Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, and Razaullah; the latter five of them are uncapped at the Test level.
Further, the PCB also sacked coach Sarfaraz and bowling coach Umar Gul, asking the white-ball head coach and bowling coach Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, respectively, to take over the team for the 3rd Test.
While seven players in the squad have been dropped, the changes in the Pakistan playing XI would be fewer than this: of the seven dropped men, four featured in the 2nd Test – Imam, Rizwan, Usman, and Shahzad. So Babar will ring in at least four changes to the lineup, and he wouldn’t want to overhaul more than that.
Rizwan’s spot will be taken by uncapped wicket-keeper Ghazi Ghori, who was already in the squad. Ubaid Shah, whose high speed of 140+ kph has been the talk of the Pakistan circuit, is likely to slot in as one of the pacers.
Saim Ayub, an experienced and in-form T20 opener who could bowl off-spin, is the likely choice to replace Imam at the top. He will compete for the opening spot with Abdullah Fazal, who made twin fifties in his debut Test match against Bangladesh.
Ali Usman, the left-arm spinner, is dropped despite a five-for in the 1st Test. Off-spinner Sajid Khan and Mohammad Ali, who has returned with unimpressive figures in the two Tests so far, would be vying for Usman’s spot.
Further, it seems that the uncapped Razaullah, the right-arm pacer with 30 wickets in 8 FC matches, is expected to get his debut Test cap, replacing Shahzad in the playing XI. There’s also the possibility of Pakistan playing a four-man pace attack by excluding Sajid, with Saim taking on the spin duties.
ENG vs PAK: Pakistan Playing XI For 3rd Test – Predicted
Abdullah Fazal/Saim Ayub, Azan Awais, Babar Azam (C), Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, 7 Ghazi Ghori (wk), Razaullah, Sajid Khan/Mohammad Ali, Ubaid Shah, Mohammad Abbas
Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.
