The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that Pakistan will field the same Playing XI for the third Test match against England, set to take place from October 24 to 28 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. This decision comes after Pakistan’s resounding 152-run victory in the second Test in Multan, which leveled the three-match series 1-1.
With Rawalpindi’s pitch expected to favor spinners, similar to the conditions in Multan, Pakistan will stick with their spin-heavy bowling attack. Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, and Zahid Mahmood will continue to lead the spin department, while Aamir Jamal will serve as the sole pacer in the team.
On the batting front, the line-up remains the same with Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, and Shan Masood anchoring the top order, and Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, and Mohammad Rizwan adding depth to the middle.
In contrast, England has opted to make two changes to their side, with leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed and seamer Gus Atkinson replacing Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts in an attempt to counter Pakistan’s spin strength.
Pakistan Playing XI:
- Saim Ayub
- Abdullah Shafique
- Shan Masood (c)
- Kamran Ghulam
- Saud Shakeel (vc)
- Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
- Salman Ali Agha
- Aamir Jamal
- Noman Ali
- Sajid Khan
- Zahid Mahmood
England Playing XI:
- Zak Crawley
- Ben Duckett
- Ollie Pope
- Joe Root
- Harry Brook
- Ben Stokes (c)
- Jamie Smith (wk)
- Gus Atkinson
- Rehan Ahmed
- Jack Leach
- Shoaib Bashir
With both teams hungry for a series win, the final Test promises to be an exciting contest.
