1st Test: England win toss, decide to field first against Pakistan

Leeds (Web Desk): England won the toss and decided to bowl first against Pakistan in the opening Test of the three-match series at Headingley on Wednesday.

Pakistan will take the field without their regular captain Babar Azam, who has been ruled out of the first Test. Salman Ali Agha has been handed the responsibility of leading the side in his absence.

The two teams have a long Test history, having met 92 times in the longest format. England hold the edge with 30 victories, while Pakistan have won 23 encounters. The remaining 39 matches have ended without a result.

The Headingley Test is Pakistan’s first red-ball assignment in England since 2020, when the sides played a three-Test series. England secured a 1-0 series victory on that occasion, while the other two matches finished in draws.

Teams

Pakistan: Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha (c), Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Abbas.

England: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wk), Ollie Robinson, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue.