At the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan will present an unaltered eleven for the pivotal third Test against England, the first time under captain Shan Masood the team has been constant between games. The action follows Pakistan’s stunning 152-run triumph in the second Test in Multan, where their triple-spin attack outmanoeuvred England. Although there had been rumours of a possible change, particularly following legsperson Zahid Mahmood’s merely six unproductive overs in Multan, the team’s management—headed by Masood—decided to have faith in the same lineup. An injury to Pakistan’s main seamer Mir Hamza confirmed the choice to keep with the existing team.
The same lineup reflects Pakistan’s faith in the extreme efforts Rawalpindi curators are doing to reproduce Multan’s spin-friendly conditions. Rawalpindi has not been known historically to spin very much; quick bowlers find more success on its usually hard, bouncy surface. Pakistan chose an all-pace attack against Bangladesh on this same ground only lately, in August.
But the success of the spin-heavy strategy in Multan has led Rawalpindi to make unprecedented preparations with the groundsmen stretching all the limits. Curators were already on site days before the second test ended, helped by members of the selection committee Aleem Dar and Aqib Javed.
Since then, the pitch has been artificially dryed out and encouraged spin by means of industrial-sized fans, wedding-style warmers, and protective windbreakers.
Notwithstanding these initiatives, worries remain regarding whether the Rawalpindi pitch will act as randomly as the one in Multan. A few footmarks have already shown up, most notably outside the left-hander’s off-stump at the media end, which might help Pakistan’s spin trio—Nauman Ali, Abrar Ahmed, and Zahid Mahmood. Actually, both sides are poised for identical triple-spin attacks; England’s own bowling mix is modified to suit Pakistan’s.
Pakistan is hoping for their first home Test series victory since a 2-0 triumph over South Africa in February 2021, as the series stands 1-1. Winning Rawalpindi would also be their first series triumph since their triumph in Sri Lanka earlier this year.
England, however, will be trying to recover from the Multan defeat; their choice to mirror Pakistan’s spin-heavy approach suggests they anticipate another trial by spin.
Third Test Pakistani playing XI vs England:
Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Sajid Khan, Numan Ali, Zahid Mahmood.
