England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bat first in the decisive third and final Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Thursday. With the series currently tied at 1-1, this match will determine the winner after England claimed a dominant victory in the first Test by an innings and 47 runs, followed by Pakistan’s strong comeback in the second Test with a 152-run triumph in Multan.
Pakistan is aiming to secure their first home series victory since defeating South Africa in February 2021. To strengthen their bowling lineup for the final Test, Pakistan has fielded three spinners: Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Zahid Mahmood. Aamer Jamal is the sole fast bowler in the squad for this game, showcasing the team’s focus on spin-friendly conditions.
On the other hand, England has made strategic changes to their squad, bringing in leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed to enhance their spin attack, alongside seasoned spinner Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir. Fast bowler Gus Atkinson also returns to the lineup after being rested for the second Test, providing additional pace support to Stokes, who will serve as the other fast-bowling option for England.
Both teams are poised for an intense final showdown, with England looking to capitalize on their momentum from the first Test and Pakistan determined to clinch a historic series win at home.
Teams:
Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, Zahid Mahmood
England squad: Ben Stokes (captain), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.
Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (NZL), Sharfuddoula Saikat (BAN)
TV Umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)
Match Referee: Richie Richardson (WIS)
