All-rounder Ben Stokes throughout second Take a look at between England vs Sri Lanka at Lord’s Cricket Floor in London, on August 29, 2024. — ReutersÂ
MULTAN: Captain Ben Stokes was named within the England workforce for the second Take a look at towards Pakistan beginning in Multan on Tuesday after recovering from a hamstring damage.
Stokes suffered the damage two months in the past and missed the three-match residence sequence towards Sri Lanka and final week’s first Take a look at, which the guests gained by an innings.
Durham seamer Matthew Potts additionally returns to the aspect for the primary time for the reason that Lord’s Take a look at towards Sri Lanka on the finish of August. Seamers Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes are rested.
“Look, it’s obviously got to be sensible,” mentioned talismanic all-rounder Stokes on Monday after he was declared match, having been bowling within the nets since earlier than the primary Take a look at.
“I’m obviously playing as a third seamer.
“I’m accessible to bowl and clearly after I sense the time is true for me to perhaps come on and make an affect there gained’t be any doubts in my thoughts that I can come on and bowl.”
Asked if he could have played as a batsman only, the 33-year-old skipper added: “These had been the kind of ideas that went by way of my head at residence earlier than we got here out.
“I’d written a few teams down with me not bowling, and it just didn’t work.”
England gained the primary Take a look at, additionally in Multan, by an innings and 47 runs on Friday, with Ollie Pope main the aspect in Stokes’s absence.
In a extremely uncommon transfer, the second Take a look at shall be performed on the identical pitch used for the primary.
England rode on a superb 317 from Harry Brook and 262 from Joe Root for a shocking victory.
Pakistan turned the primary workforce in Take a look at cricket’s 147-year historical past to lose by an innings after posting a 550-plus whole of their first knock.
Below-pressure Pakistan, who’ve gone 11 Exams and not using a win at residence, named three frontline spinners of their workforce as they chase a series-levelling win.
They’ve made 4 modifications, together with bringing in batsman Kamran Ghulam for his debut.
The 29-year-old has carried out nicely in home cricket, having set a nationwide report of 1,249 runs within the 2020-21 season.
The spin bowling shall be dealt with by left-armer Noman Ali, leg-break bowler Zahid Mahmood and off-spinner Sajid Khan, all introduced into the aspect.
Pakistan neglected batsman Babar Azam together with the tempo duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, and spinner Abrar Ahmed. He’s nonetheless unwell.
Enjoying 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
