Cricket

England captain Ben Stokes is set to make his long-awaited return to competitive cricket in the second Test against Pakistan in Multan, starting October 15. Stokes, who suffered a hamstring injury while playing in The Hundred, has been named in England's playing XI for the second game at the Multan Cricket Stadium.The 33-year-old all-rounder has been bowling and batting without any discomfort in the nets in the lead-up to the match. In his absence, Ollie Pope led England to a comprehensive victory in the series opener last week.Pakistan, on the other hand, have made some significant changes to their team ahead of the second Test, dropping former captain Babar Azam and star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi. When asked about these changes, Stokes declined to comment, stating that it was an internal matter for Pakistan cricket.Stokes missed the three-match home series against Sri Lanka and last week's first Test, which England won by an innings. Durham seamer Matthew Potts also returns to the side for the first time since the Lord's Test against Sri Lanka at the end of August. Seamers Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes have been rested.With England dropping two pacers, Stokes confirmed that he will be "playing as a third seamer" alongside Potts and Brydon Carse, who impressed on his debut in Multan.Pakistan became the first team in Test cricket's 147-year history to lose by an innings after posting a 550-plus total in their first innings. Under pressure to level the series, Pakistan have named three frontline spinners in their team.They have made four changes, including bringing in batter Kamran Ghulam for his debut.

Pakistan's star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has expressed his support for the national team as they prepare for the second Test against England in Multan. Afridi, along with Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, and Sarfaraz Ahmed, was released from the squad for the remaining two Tests of the series.The changes to Pakistan's squad were made by a newly-formed selection committee, formed hours after the hosts suffered an embarrassing loss by an innings and 47 runs to England in the first Test at Multan. Pakistan are 0-1 behind in the three-match Test series against England and are also at the bottom of the ongoing World Test Championship standings.Afridi, who has been struggling with form and fitness, took to social media to wish the team well. "Wishing Team Pakistan the best of luck! Rooting for a strong comeback. We're all cheering for you!" he wrote on Twitter.The second Test between Pakistan and England will be played on the same pitch as the series opener in Multan from Tuesday. Pakistan will be hoping to level the series and avoid a humiliating whitewash.Pakistan squad for second and third Tests:* Shan Masood (captain)* Saud Shakeel (vice-captain)* Aamir Jamal* Abdullah Shafique* Haseebullah (wicket-keeper)* Kamran Ghulam* Mehran Mumtaz* Mir Hamza* Mohammad Ali* Mohammad Huraira* Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper)* Noman Ali* Saim Ayub* Sajid Khan* Salman Ali Agha* Zahid Mehmood

Pakistan's Test team has undergone a significant transformation for the second Test against England, opting for a spin-heavy attack on the same pitch that witnessed England's record-breaking performance in the first Test. This drastic change in strategy reflects a shift in Pakistan's approach to home pitches, with assistant coach Azhar Mahmood revealing that they had planned to prepare spin-friendly surfaces for England.Despite the expectation that the pitch would begin to turn from the second day in the first Test, Pakistan's lineup featured only one specialist spinner, Abrar Ahmed. However, for the second Test, they have lined up with three spinners: Zahid Mahmood, Noman Ali, and Sajid Khan. This will be the first time Pakistan has played a men's Test with only one fast bowler, Aamer Jamal.The decision to field three spinners stems from Pakistan's belief that spin is the best way to take 20 wickets against England on this particular pitch. Mahmood emphasized the importance of taking wickets and expressed confidence in the experience of the incoming spinners, despite their lack of recent first-class matches.However, the exclusion of Babar Azam from the team has raised eyebrows. Mahmood insists that it is a "rest" rather than a "drop," citing Pakistan's upcoming schedule. However, some question why the upcoming white-ball tours could not serve as a more appropriate avenue for rotation, given the significance of the home Test series against England.The fielding of three spinners in addition to Salman Agha, who Mahmood previously described as a "specialist spinner," indicates Pakistan's belief that the pitch will take turn. They have left grass on the surface to encourage spin and hope it will work in their favor.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made a bold decision to rest four of its top players for the remaining two Test matches against England. The move, which includes dropping captain Babar Azam, former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, and pace bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, has raised eyebrows in the cricket world.The PCB has defended the decision, stating that it is in the best interests of the team. A PCB spokesperson said that the players were "spared from the team to give them rest so that they can come back afresh."The decision comes after Pakistan suffered a humiliating innings and 47-run defeat in the first Test at Rawalpindi. The team's performance was widely criticized, with many calling for changes to the playing XI.The PCB has also announced a new selection committee, which will be responsible for selecting the team for the remaining two Tests. The new committee includes former players Aleem Dar, Aaqib Javed, Azhar Ali, and Hassan Cheema.The four players who have been dropped have been replaced by younger players, including Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Ali, and Kamran Ghulam. These players have limited experience at the international level, but the PCB believes that they have the potential to succeed.The PCB's decision to rest its top players is a gamble. However, it is a gamble that the board believes is necessary to ensure the long-term success of the team.

Pakistan's decision to exclude star batsman Babar Azam from the upcoming Test series against England has raised eyebrows, with former England captain Nasser Hussain expressing his surprise. Hussain believes that while Azam is currently out of form, he is a player who can rise to the occasion when the pressure is on.Azam's exclusion, along with that of strike bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, was a bold move by Pakistan's new selection panel. Hussain suggests that England may not be too concerned about Azam's absence, given his recent struggles. However, he warns that players of Azam's caliber often find a way to score runs when it matters most.Azam's form has dipped since he was appointed captain and Pakistan's disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup in June. He has not scored a Test half-century since 2022, despite an impressive overall record that includes nine centuries and 26 half-centuries in 55 matches.Meanwhile, Shaheen has struggled to regain his wicket-taking rhythm after recovering from a knee injury. Pakistan's decision to use the same contentious Multan pitch for the second Test has also drawn criticism from Hussain. He emphasizes the need for a more balanced pitch that offers something for both batsmen and bowlers."Test cricket cannot afford another game like the one we had last week," Hussain wrote. "There has to be a balance between bat and ball, and that means the pitch has to offer bowlers something at both ends of the game: movement for the seamers at the start, turn for the spinners at the end."Pakistan will be desperate to level the series against England, but they will need to find a way to overcome the absence of their star players and the challenges posed by the Multan pitch.

England's fast-bowling stocks are on the rise, according to James Anderson, who believes the team is developing a "battery" of quicks ahead of next winter's Ashes tour.Anderson, who has been working as England's fast-bowling coach since his retirement in July, has been impressed by the emergence of a new generation of seam bowlers."The list is not endless, but it feels like it is growing and growing," Anderson said. "We've got the likes of Woody and Jofra [to come back in] but also Olly Stone and Josh Tongue. It feels like there's loads of guys coming through -- Josh Hull as well, who we think has got a good future."Anderson's comments come after a promising start to the Test series in Pakistan, where Gus Atkinson has taken 38 wickets at 21.86 in his first seven Tests. Brydon Carse also impressed on debut in Multan last week with his speed, skill, and stamina."Atkinson seems to rise to every challenge that's put in front of him," Anderson said. "Brydon was outstanding… To bowl 90mph in that heat, pretty consistently, was an amazing effort. He was accurate, he bowled good short stuff when we needed him to do that, and he bowls wicket-taking balls - and that's what we're after, as a bowling group."England are missing Mark Wood in Pakistan due to his elbow injury, while they still hope that Jofra Archer might return to Test cricket next year after a three-year absence."We've got a lot of options there," Anderson said. "It is really exciting for an England group at the minute, thinking of what we have ahead with India next summer, then Australia, and then going forward over the next three years."Anderson's involvement with England's fast bowlers is officially as a consultant coach for their winter Test tours to Pakistan and New Zealand, with his longer-term future with the team unclear. However, he left open the possibility of extending his role further down the line, potentially including next winter's Ashes tour."I'm really enjoying it," Anderson said. "We have an amazing coaching group who have been really helpful. I've not officially done this job before, but I feel like it's not far off where I was for the last few years of my career: trying to be there for bowlers, help them as much as possible, come up with ideas when we're in the field. It's been great… so far, so good."

Pakistan's cricket team has come under fire from former batter Basit Ali following their humiliating defeat to England in the first Test of the three-match series in Multan. The loss marked Pakistan's sixth consecutive Test defeat, extending their winless streak to 10 matches in the format.Ali, in a viral rant on his YouTube channel, expressed his disgust with the team's performance, labeling it as "shameful." He questioned the place of star batter Babar Azam in the team, urging the selectors to drop him. Azam has not scored a Test century in over two years, and Ali believes that any other player would have been dropped long ago."Babar Azam needs rest. He should be the one saying, 'I need to rest'. It's been 18 innings without a significant performance. Any other player would have been dropped after three games, like Fawad Alam. This is the harsh reality. Babar should reduce his stance. It's too wide now. The whole world is laughing. Is this how you play?" Ali said.Ali also criticized captain Shan Masood, suggesting that he should be opening the batting instead of playing at number three. He questioned Masood's credentials as captain, saying, "I've always maintained that Shan is an opener and should be opening. But he played at number three. Now what will happen? Who will you drop? He should play in his rightful position. He doesn't even understand captaincy. What has become of this cricket team? It's shameful."The loss to England continues a painful stretch for Pakistan and will likely increase the pressure on Masood, who is reportedly set to be sacked by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The win is England's fourth consecutive Test triumph on Pakistan soil, after a 3-0 whitewash two years ago. England had only won two away Tests against Pakistan in the previous 61 years.

Pakistan's decision to reuse the same pitch for the second Test against England in Multan has raised eyebrows, but the move is not without precedent. The International Cricket Council (ICC) requires only "the best possible pitch and outfield conditions" for Test matches, with no stipulations that the surface must be fresh or unused.Pakistan's decision may be driven by a desire to level the playing field after their innings defeat in the first Test. The pitch in Multan offered little assistance to bowlers, with 1,599 runs scored for the loss of 26 wickets. England's bowlers were particularly frustrated, with Chris Woakes describing the surface as offering "bugger all."By reusing the same pitch, Pakistan may hope to create conditions that favor their spinners. The bowlers' footmarks from the first Test are dry and cracked, and the fans and harsh sun will further dry them out. This could make it difficult for England's batsmen to play spin, especially if Ben Stokes is selected as a third seamer.Stokes has ramped up his bowling workloads over the past week and bowled at full pace in the nets on Sunday morning. His inclusion would give England a potent bowling attack, but it could also backfire if the pitch does not offer enough assistance to spinners.England, meanwhile, are braced for a lower-scoring match. They will be hoping to take advantage of the dry conditions and exploit any variable bounce that may develop. Kevin Pietersen, the former England captain, described the pitch as a "bowlers' graveyard" on Twitter and suggested that Pakistan should re-use it for the second Test.Pakistan's move is unusual, but it is not without precedent. In 2016, India reused the same pitch for two consecutive Tests against New Zealand in Kanpur. The pitch offered more assistance to spinners in the second Test, and India won by an innings and 115 runs.Whether Pakistan's gamble will pay off remains to be seen. The second Test starts on Tuesday, and the conditions will be closely monitored.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has labeled the current Pakistan side as the "worst" he has seen in history. Vaughan's remark came after Pakistan became the first team to lose a Test after scoring 550 or more runs in the first innings. Despite posting 556 runs in the first innings, England outbatted them in Multan to declare on 823/7. The hosts collapsed for a meager 220 in the second innings, allowing England to seal the match by an innings and 47 runs.Vaughan's criticism of Pakistan was scathing, calling them "the worst Pakistan side I can remember." He attributed their poor performance to a lack of discipline and clarity in their bowling attack. In contrast, Vaughan praised England's approach, who scored well over five runs per over in the first innings and bowled with great discipline."This is the worst Pakistan side I can remember," Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph. "But to make 823 for seven at 5.5 runs an over, while taking few risks and looking in total control, is very special. The most impressive thing for me was the way the bowling attack combined. You could tell what everyone's role was. And they stuck to their task gallantly and were right up for the challenge, which is exactly what Brendon McCullum wants to see."Vaughan's only area of concern for England was about Shoaib Bashir being their first choice spinner over Jack Leach, especially after the latter sparked Pakistan's collapse in the second innings."The one selection point I was not sure about at the start of the summer was opting for Shoaib Bashir over Leach as the front-line spinner," Vaughan added. "I can see Bashir's potential, but Leach outbowled him in Multan, and had a very good season for Somerset. I am a bit old school with spin bowling. Your finger spinner just needs to bowl, bowl, bowl. That is the way to learn, get used to conditions, make subtle variations to your release point, and angle of attack. Bashir just has not bowled that much this summer."Pakistan will now look to bounce back in the series with the second Test starting on October 15.