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Wednesday December 18, 2024

England captain Stokes returns for second Pakistan Test

Seamers Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes rested for second match in Multan

By AFP & Reuters
October 14, 2024
England’s captain Ben Stokes attends a practice session on the eve of their second Test cricket match against Pakistan at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan on October 14, 2024. — AFP
England’s captain Ben Stokes attends a practice session on the eve of their second Test cricket match against Pakistan at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan on October 14, 2024. — AFP

England captain Ben Stokes will return to the side for the second Test against Pakistan after missing the last four matches due to a hamstring injury, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Monday.

Stokes picked up the injury in August while playing in The Hundred, with Ollie Pope captaining the Test team in his absence.

Seamer Matthew Potts has also been named in the playing 11 for the first time since August, with Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes rested for the match in Multan, which begins on Tuesday.

The second of the three-Test series will be played from Tuesday in Multan, the same venue as the first, with the third match set for Rawalpindi from October 24.

England won the first Test, also in Multan, by an innings and 47 runs on Friday, with Ollie Pope leading the side in Stokes’s absence.

England rode on a brilliant 317 from Harry Brook and 262 from Joe Root for a stunning victory.

Pakistan became the first team in Test cricket’s 147-year history to lose by an innings after posting a 550-plus total in their first knock.

Under-pressure Pakistan, who have gone 11 Tests without a win at home, named three frontline spinners in their team as they chase a series-levelling win.

They have made four changes, including bringing in batsman Kamran Ghulam for his debut.

The 29-year-old has performed well in domestic cricket, having set a national record of 1,249 runs in the 2020-21 season.

The spin bowling will be handled by left-armer Noman Ali, leg-break bowler Zahid Mahmood and off-spinner Sajid Khan, all brought into the side.

Pakistan left out batsman Babar Azam along with the pace duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, and spinner Abrar Ahmed. He is still unwell.

Playing XI

Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood

England: Ben Stokes (captain), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir