Cricket

Pakistan vs England Live Score 1st Test Day 3: England Trails by 460 Runs in MultanEngland will resume Day 3 of the first Test against Pakistan in Multan trailing by a massive 460 runs. Pakistan posted a mammoth 556 in their first innings, leaving England with a daunting task to avoid a follow-on.England's hopes rest on the shoulders of Zak Crawley, who will resume on 64 not out. Crawley has been in impressive form, scoring a century in the warm-up match against the Pakistan Shaheens. He will be joined by former captain Joe Root, who is unbeaten on 32.England's start to their innings was hampered by the early dismissal of skipper Ollie Pope. Pope was forced to bat up the order after opener Ben Duckett suffered an injury while taking a catch on Day 2.England need another 261 runs to avoid a follow-on, a target that is achievable on a pitch that has offered little assistance to the bowlers. However, Pakistan's bowlers will be looking to make early inroads and put England under pressure.The match is evenly poised heading into Day 3, with both teams having a chance to take control. England will be hoping to build on their solid start and put themselves in a position to challenge Pakistan's total. Pakistan, on the other hand, will be looking to take wickets and put England under pressure.

Ben Stokes' participation in the first Test of England's tour to Pakistan remains uncertain, while Zak Crawley has declared himself fit to play. Stokes, who has been recovering from a hamstring injury, batted and bowled briefly in the nets on Friday but his inclusion in the team is not guaranteed.If Stokes is ruled out, Ollie Pope will continue as England's captain after leading them to a 2-1 win against Sri Lanka. Chris Woakes could also be in contention to play his first overseas Test in two-and-a-half years, providing balance to the side from No. 7.Crawley, who missed the Sri Lanka series with a broken finger, believes England have the depth to cope with Stokes' potential absence. "We've got a really deep squad, with plenty of options with the ball and with the bat as well," he said.England are expected to name their XI two days before the first Test, and Crawley suggested a late call would be made on Stokes' inclusion. "He seems to be going well, recovering well from his injury," he said. "We don't know just yet. I think he's got to do a few more tests, but he's been doing some running and stuff."Crawley himself has not played competitively since England's third Test against West Indies in July. He fractured his little finger while dropping a catch in the slips and his absence highlighted his importance to the side.England trained for the first time in Multan on Friday, the venue for the first two Tests of the series. Crawley said he felt "brand new" and ready to play, despite not fielding in the slips."The finger is all right," Crawley said. "It's as good as it could be at this stage. I've recovered well from it. It was a nasty break at the time, but I've recovered well and I don't feel it at all while I'm batting."Crawley set the tone for England's clean sweep on their most recent tour to Pakistan with an 86-ball hundred on the first day of the series in Rawalpindi. He believes he has become a more adaptable player since then."You've got to read the conditions," he said. "That's something I've thought about in the past couple of months, being more adaptable, playing the right shots, still being very aggressive - that's always going to be me - but just playing the right shots."

England's Ben Stokes Returns for Pakistan Test TourEngland Test captain Ben Stokes will make his long-awaited return to the team for the upcoming tour of Pakistan in October. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the news on Tuesday, announcing a 17-member squad for the three-match series starting on October 7.Stokes, who missed the recent series against Sri Lanka due to a hamstring injury, is in the process of recovery and is expected to be fit for the Pakistan tour. Zak Crawley, who has been out since July with a fractured finger, is also set to return to the squad.The squad also includes spinner Rehan Ahmed, who made his Test debut in Pakistan last December, and Jack Leach, who last played in the opening Test in India in January. Josh Hull, who made his Test debut against Sri Lanka last week, is included along with uncapped players Brydon Carse and batter Jordan Cox.Eight players from the victorious 2022 squad, including Ahmed, Harry Brook, Crawley, Ben Duckett, Leach, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Stokes, are part of the team. The venues for the series are expected to be announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board later this week.England will be looking to build on their recent success in Pakistan, where they won the Test series 3-0 in December 2022. Stokes' return will provide a significant boost to the team, as he is one of the world's leading all-rounders.

England Test captain Ben Stokes and opener Zak Crawley have suffered injuries that will impact their availability for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka.Stokes, 33, was carried off the field while playing for the Northern Superchargers in the Hundred on Sunday. The all-rounder appeared to suffer a hamstring injury and was assisted into the stands by team staff. England's first Test against Sri Lanka begins on August 21 at Old Trafford, the same ground where Stokes sustained his injury.Meanwhile, Crawley has been ruled out of the series due to a broken finger. The 26-year-old fractured his little finger on his right hand while attempting to take a catch during the third Test victory over the West Indies. Crawley will now focus on recovering in time for England's tour of Pakistan in October.With Crawley sidelined, Dan Lawrence is expected to open alongside Ben Duckett. Lawrence has been included in several England squads but has not played a Test since 2022. The 27-year-old has impressed in the County Championship this season, averaging 53.09 with two centuries and three fifties.England have made several other changes to their squad ahead of the Sri Lanka series. Gus Atkinson and Jamie Smith, who made their Test debuts against the West Indies, have been retained. Essex batsman Jordan Cox has received his first call-up, while uncapped seamer Dillon Pennington has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.Nottinghamshire seam bowler Olly Stone returns to the Test squad for the first time since 2021. The 29-year-old will be hoping to add to his three Test caps.The first Test against Sri Lanka starts at Old Trafford on August 21, with the second match at Lord's and the third at The Oval.

England's Zak Crawley Ruled Out of Sri Lanka Test Series with Fractured FingerEngland's preparations for their upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka have been dealt a blow with the news that opener Zak Crawley will miss the three-match encounter due to a fractured right little finger. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the injury on Sunday, announcing a 14-member squad for the series that begins on August 21 at Old Trafford.Crawley, 26, sustained the injury during England's third Test victory over the West Indies last month. The right-handed batsman has been a regular fixture in the England Test team since making his debut in 2019, scoring 1,328 runs in 25 matches at an average of 28.44.In addition to Crawley's absence, seamer Dillon Pennington will also miss the series due to a hamstring injury. The 23-year-old made his Test debut against New Zealand in June but has yet to establish himself as a regular member of the team.Jordan Cox has been called up to the Test squad for the first time. The 23-year-old middle-order batter has impressed in the County Championship for Kent this season, scoring 750 runs in 12 matches at an average of 41.67.Seamer Olly Stone also returns to the Test squad for the first time since June 2021. The 29-year-old has been plagued by injuries throughout his career but has shown glimpses of his potential when fit.Ben Stokes will captain the England team during the series against Sri Lanka. The all-rounder has led England to victory in their last four Test matches, including a 3-0 sweep of New Zealand in June.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape, the reigning SA20 champions, have bolstered their squad for the upcoming season with the signings of England batter Zak Crawley, fast bowler Craig Overton, and Netherlands allrounder Roelof van der Merwe.Crawley, a mainstay in England's Test team, will make his SA20 debut. Despite limited experience in the shortest format, he boasts an impressive T20 record with 1771 runs at a strike rate of 134.77. He aims to enhance his white-ball skills and add power to his game.Van der Merwe, who played a pivotal role in Sunrisers' title triumph last season, returns to the franchise. The left-arm spinner was the joint leading wicket-taker with 20 scalps and had an exceptional economy of 5.62. His match-winning performance in the final earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.Overton, a 30-year-old fast-bowling allrounder, will make his overseas T20 league debut with Sunrisers. He has 106 T20 wickets to his name, averaging 26.21 with an economy rate of 8.56.These signings add depth and experience to Sunrisers' squad. Crawley's batting prowess, van der Merwe's spin wizardry, and Overton's all-round abilities will be valuable assets in their quest to defend their title.

Kent's resilience was on full display at Taunton as they fought back valiantly against Somerset in the Vitality County Championship First Division match. After being bowled out for 178 in their first innings, Kent's openers, Zak Crawley and Ben Compton, put together a formidable partnership of 194 runs in the second innings.Crawley, who had struggled for form this season, returned to his best with a magnificent double century. The England opener faced 267 balls, hitting 31 fours and four sixes in his 238-run knock. Compton also played a crucial role, scoring 65 runs before being dismissed by Matt Renshaw.Kent's skipper, Daniel Bell-Drummond, contributed 62 runs, while Marcus O'Riordan and Nathan Gilchrist remained unbeaten at the crease. Despite losing Crawley and Bell-Drummond in the final session, Kent managed to extend their lead to 33 runs at stumps, giving them a glimmer of hope for a draw.Somerset's bowlers, led by Craig Overton and Migael Pretorius, had a productive first innings, claiming three wickets each. However, they were unable to maintain the same intensity in the second innings as Crawley and Compton dominated the proceedings.The match is poised for an exciting finish on day four, with Kent needing to bat out the day to secure a draw. Somerset, on the other hand, will be looking to take early wickets and force a result.

Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma has expressed his admiration for two batters who have impressed him with their performances: Zak Crawley of England and Steve Smith of Australia.Crawley, a 26-year-old opener, has caught Sharma's attention with his impressive performances in Test cricket. In 44 Test matches, Crawley has scored 2,611 runs at an average of 32.63, including four centuries and 14 fifties. His highest score is an impressive 267.Sharma praised Crawley's ability to play with freedom and aggression. "I watched Zak Crawley very closely this season and enjoyed watching him bat," Sharma said. "He has a good technique and a positive mindset."Smith, on the other hand, is a seasoned veteran who has established himself as one of the greatest batters of his generation. In 334 international matches for Australia, Smith has amassed 16,225 runs, including 44 centuries and 79 half-centuries.Sharma highlighted Smith's unique approach to batting and his ability to adapt to different situations. "Steve Smith is different from the rest," Sharma said. "He has his own way of doing things, but he is successful."Smith's dominance is particularly evident in Test cricket, where he has scored 9,685 runs at an average of 56.97, with 32 centuries and 41 half-centuries. He has played a key role in Australia's triumphs in two ICC Cricket World Cups, one ICC T20 World Cup, and one ICC World Test Championship.Sharma's admiration for Crawley and Smith reflects his appreciation for batters who possess both technical skill and mental toughness. These qualities are essential for success at the highest level of cricket, and Sharma believes that both Crawley and Smith have the potential to achieve great things in the game.

Zak Crawley, England's leading run-scorer in the recent Test series against India, believes that the team will not abandon their aggressive approach despite their shortcomings in the subcontinent. However, he acknowledges the need for refinement to capitalize on their dominant positions.Crawley emphasized that England's faith in their attacking methods remained unwavering throughout the series, despite their eventual 4-1 defeat. He pointed to the fourth Test in Ranchi, where England squandered a significant first-innings lead, as a missed opportunity."We never really lost faith and had the same attitude," Crawley said. "We genuinely believed in ourselves and thought we could win the series. We were in all the games."Crawley expressed satisfaction with his personal performances, having emerged as England's most consistent batter with 407 runs at an average of 40.70. He attributed his improved form to a more positive mindset and a focus on smothering the spin."I am trying to embrace failure more and accepting it is part of the game," Crawley said. "So, I'm trying to stick with that."Despite his success against India's spinners, Crawley admitted that he was unable to replicate his remarkable 189-run innings from the Ashes against their seamers. However, he emphasized his confidence against pace bowling and his willingness to engage with the opposition's best bowlers."I just thought, 'there are a couple of good balls in here, I just need to put them under pressure early'," Crawley said. "I feel like a bit more pace on the ball has always suited my game a little bit more."Crawley also revealed that he had undergone laser surgery to correct his short-sightedness, which had previously required him to wear contact lenses. He believes that this has improved his ability to pick up the ball.While Crawley's series record paled in comparison to India's Yashasvi Jaiswal, he insisted that he is not driven by a desire for big scores. Instead, he focuses on staying present and playing one ball at a time."Whenever I have looked too far ahead like that, that is how you get out straight away," Crawley said. "Actually, a couple of those occasions I was thinking, 'I need to get a big score' and I wasn't in the process."Crawley believes that England need to refine their approach to absorbing pressure and putting it back on the opposition. He emphasized that the team will not become more negative but will seek to identify the right moments to absorb pressure."We always talk about absorbing pressure and putting pressure back on," Crawley said. "The last couple of years we've done the putting back on pretty well, and we've spoken about maybe picking those moments to absorb at the right times as well."