RAWALPINDI: Pakistan are eyeing their first home series victory against England in nine years as the battle lines are drawn for the decisive Test starting from today (Thursday) here at the Pindi Stadium.
After the second Test win and late realisation of the tourists’ weaknesses, Pakistan have pinned all their hopes on a favourable response from the pitch for spinners that traditionally is famous for supporting seam bowling.
With no grass on the track and every effort made by the local curators to dry down the surface, there is all the likelihood that spinners would start extracting turn starting from the opening day.
Pakistan have yet to taste a home series win against England since they last won at the UAE grounds in 2015. England came hard on the host nation winning all the three Tests they played in 2022. The tourists particularly enjoyed batting on the Pindi pitch where records of rapid scoring tumbled in each session. This time around the things may not be as fluent for the tourists considering the apparent look of the strip prepared for the third Test.
“We enjoyed the outing at the ground when we were here last time but the wicket looks quite different this time around. Hopefully, it would be good for batting early on but for how long no one knows. We have gathered all the information about the pitch behavior. Let’s see how it behaves,” said Ben Stokes who turned up for media talk Wednesday.
England are unlikely to break away from the recently adopted aggressive style of play even if the wicket starts showing signs of spin with bounce at early stage. The toss, however, holds utmost importance on a track where batting in the fourth innings would not be easier.
“Both the teams are looking to spin bowlers to win the decisive Test. In that scenario the toss will hold importance. We are looking forward to continuing with the same spirit which was the team’s hallmark in the second Test at Multan,” Jason Gillespie, Pakistan team head coach, said.
Jason, who has got no further say in the team’s planning ahead of the Test, to a question backed Zahid Mehmood’s inclusion ahead of Mehran Mumtaz, saying that he did not get a proper chance at Multan.
“Sajid and Nauman ran through England batting line-up at Multan with Zahid not required to bowl long spells. He deserves another chance.” The red-ball coach, however, praised Mehran as player for the future. “He is very talented and the one who can serve the country’s cricket for years ahead.”
Pakistan’s last Test win at the Pindi Stadium came against South Africa in 2021. Since then the team has lost against Bangladesh and England. With the track most likely to support spinners, Pakistan management hopes to make it happen this time.
“We are in a better position to win the series. Cricketers’ morale is up and so is their urge to win the series for the country. I have made every possible effort to keep them in high spirits so that they could bring in their best to the fore,” Jason said.
Both the teams were seen training hard Wednesday with England more focusing on power hitting rather adopting a conventional style of training. “We have gotten bored with the daily routine and wanted to add something new,” Ben said.
Pakistan will go unchanged for the decisive Test, putting faith in the spin trio, meaning there will be no pacer to assist Aamer Jamal with the new ball. There is all the likelihood that Sajid Khan may be seen opening the ball with the right-arm pacer.
Mohammad Rizwan is seeking a personal milestone, requiring another 16 runs to complete 2000 runs in Test cricket with Shan, who faced back to back white-wash defeats against Australia and Bangladesh, gets a golden opportunity as a skipper to earn a series win.
Weather is expected to stay sunny in Rawalpindi throughout the Test with a crowd likely to throng the Stadium Thursday more because of the free entry to General Enclosure. The team winning the toss would be having a brighter opportunity to dictate for the rest of the Test.
Teams: Pakistan: Saim Ayub. Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakil, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Sajid Khan, Nauman Ali and Zahid Mehmood.
England’s XI for the third Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes ©, Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir. Umpires: Christopher Gaffaney and Sharfuddoula Saikat will perform the duties of as on-field umpires, while Kumar Dharmasena will serve as a third umpire. Pakistan’s Faisal Aafreedi -- part of the ICC International Panel of Umpires, will be the fourth umpire.
