Pakistan enters the third Test at Edgbaston under immense pressure, both on and off the field, following a difficult series against England. The team’s struggles were compounded after the second Test at Lord’s, which resulted in seven members of the touring party being recalled before the series concluded. This group includes high-profile cricketers who have previously captained the national side. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has initiated an inquiry into the situation, adding further uncertainty to the team’s preparations.
On the field, the task remains daunting. With significant changes to the coaching staff and the squad, captain Babar Azam and coach Mike Hesson face an uphill battle. The team will be forced to make at least four changes to their starting XI for this match, with further adjustments possible. Despite Pakistan’s historical reputation for resilience in challenging circumstances, the current inexperience within the squad makes the prospect of a turnaround appear difficult.
England, having already secured the series, is aiming for a 3-0 whitewash. Their pace attack has been dominant throughout the series, consistently restricting Pakistan to totals under 200. While England captain Joe Root has expressed a desire for more runs from players like Emilio Gay and Jordan Cox, and noted that Dan Lawrence has shown promise despite a lack of big scores, the hosts remain heavy favorites. Root emphasized a balanced perspective, stating, “I think it’s very easy to say one team is excellent and one team is poor. Normally it’s somewhere in the middle. Regardless of what’s happened over the last two games, this week it’s a completely different proposition for us.”
The third Test is scheduled for September 9-13 at Edgbaston in Birmingham, with play set to begin at 11:00 AM local time (3:30 PM IST). Weather forecasts suggest that rain could interrupt play throughout the match. Historically, the venue has been high-scoring; the last Test played there saw Shubman Gill score 430 runs during a significant victory for India. Given the break between the second and third matches, England may opt to field an unchanged XI.
The probable England XI includes Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith, Ollie Robinson, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, and Josh Tongue. Pakistan’s probable XI features Azan Awais, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Ghazi Ghori, Razaullah, Mohammad Abbas, Ubaid Shah, and Mohammad Ali.
Looking toward the match, Babar Azam remains focused on integrating the new players. “We’ve practiced a couple of days and explained things to the new boys. Any young player who comes in is excited, and that excitement is visible. I believe that will be visible in the match, too,” the Pakistan captain stated. The report also notes that in fact not even allowing the Asian side to breach 200 even once in the series, they have thumped Pakistan in both the Test matches with the pace attack standing tall on both occasions. The report also notes that perhaps nothing should serve as a surprise, with Pakistan cricket. The report also notes that however, what immediately matters for Pakistan is how they respond on the field.
