England won the toss and elected to bat first. Their decision seems to have turned down South as half of the Englishmen are back to the Pavilion.
Hamza, a left-arm pacer, was part of the squads for the first and last two Tests of the series but did not make the playing XI. His last appearance for Pakistan was during the second Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, where he took 12 wickets in as many innings, averaging 42.08.
Dominant Start By Pakistan
Pakistan will be over the moon with the incredible start they had in the first session of the third test against Rawalpindi. Pakistan lost the toss, but they wouldn’t have minded bowling first either. Pakistan didn’t hesitate to start the session with spinners with the new ball which is seen as unusual in cricket. This worked in their favour as they dismissed five wickets in the first session. 3 out of 5 batsmen couldn’t even reach the two digits of runs. Sajid Khan and Noman Ali bowled throughout the session dominating the game.England have registered 110 runs losing five wickets.
England’s struggles this morning can be attributed more to a lack of bounce than excessive spin. The ball is skidding and moving low, which explains why the low-handed and shorter Duckett has been the most effective batter on this surface so far. England must figure out how to post a competitive score, as Pakistan will have to bat last on this pitch where the bounce is unlikely to improve. Accumulating runs will be crucial, as even thirty runs and a few partnerships could determine the outcome of this match and the series.
Bowling Strategy in Rawalpindi
Given the spin-friendly conditions in Rawalpindi, Pakistan opted for a bowling attack featuring three specialist spinners and just one pacer, Aamir Jamal. Jamal’s ability to contribute with the bat provided him an advantage over Hamza, especially considering Hamza’s ongoing injury concerns. In a notable strategy, Shan Masood opened the bowling with two spinners, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, marking only the fourth instance of such a tactic in Test history.
Prioritizing Player Health
The PCB’s decision to release Hamza for rehabilitation is a wise choice, allowing him to focus on his recovery and aim for a return to full fitness. While his absence may be a setback for the team, prioritizing the long-term health and well-being of players is crucial.
Playing XIs for the Third Test
Pakistan (Playing XI): Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood(c), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan(w), Agha Salman, Aamer 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(w), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.
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