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Pakistan likely to play five-match Test series against England: reports

LONDON: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) aims to reintroduce a five-match Test series against teams beyond Australia and India to boost interest in the format, with Pakistan and South Africa considered potential opponents.

According to the English newspaper ‘The Telegraph,’ the first expanded series beyond Australia and India could be played in the summer of 2028.

The report stated that the idea would reignite interest in the Test game, barring the series involving the other three members: Australia, India, and England.

“The England & Wales Cricket Board believes that series of greater length would help to cultivate interest in the Test game, beyond series involving other members of the ‘big three.”

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“It will show off the format’s unique capacity to develop narratives over multiple games,” the report said.

Additionally, the report suggested that more Test matches in a series will encourage other teams to pay attention to the longer format.

“The allure of touring the country for longer series might also encourage other teams to give greater emphasis to the Test game,” the report added.

The report highlighted that more matches in a more extended format series will create more of a sense of occasion.

The report asserted that Pakistan and South Africa are the teams that could be considered for the series due to their historic rivalry with England and their support in the country.

For the unversed, England’s last five-match Test series against Pakistan dates back to 1992, ending in a 2-1 defeat at home against the Javed Miandad-led side.

However, Pakistan most recently visited for longer than three Tests in 2016, when they sealed a 2-2 draw in their four-match series by winning at The Oval.

READ: Champions Trophy: Pakistan squad reaches Islamabad for Bangladesh clash

Mushfiqur Rahim ruled out of Sri Lanka Tests with thumb injury

Bangladesh wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim has been ruled out of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, owing to a thumb injury.

Bangladesh physio Bayjedul Islam Khan confirmed that the 36-year-old batter will require at least three weeks to recover from the injury, ruling him out of the Test series, which will commence on 22 March.

“After the match, Mushfiqur [Rahim] underwent an X-ray examination in Dhaka, which revealed an avulsion fracture on the MIP joint of his right thumb,” Bayjedul said.

“He is currently undergoing conservative management for his injury and is expected to be sidelined for around three to four weeks, consequently ruling him out of participation in the Test series against Sri Lanka.”

Rahim suffered the injury during the third ODI against Sri Lanka as he was struck by a delivery from Taskin Ahmed in the second over.

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He continued to keep wickets after getting treatment from the team physio, taking four crucial catches. He later played an unbeaten 37-run knock to help Bangladesh chase 236 runs to clinch the ODI series 2-1.

He was the second-highest run-getter for Bangladesh in the ODI series with 135 runs from three innings.

He is also the most-capped Test player in Bangladesh history with 88 Test matches and has scored the most runs for the country – 5676 runs at an average of 38.09.

The Bangladesh selectors have not announced the replacement for the veteran wicketkeeper yet.

Bangladesh lost the T20I series against Sri Lanka 2-1 but made a resounding comeback to win the ODI series with the same margin.

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Shaheen Afridi aims to spoil David Warner’s farewell Test series

Pakistan’s left-arm pace bowler Shaheen Afridi expressed his desire to spoil Australian opening batter David Warner’s final Test series, starting with the Perth Test on December 14th.

David Warner was in scintillating white ball form at the recently concluded ICC World Cup 2023, scoring 535 runs at a 48.63 average for his side which won their sixth World Cup title.

However, Warner has scored just one Test century since early 2020 and averages only 28 since the 2019-2020 summer.

The 37-year-old batter has indicated he plans to quit the five-day game after the third Test against Pakistan at his home Sydney Cricket Ground.

Shaheen Afridi, while talking to the media before his side’s practice session in Canberra praised Warner for his stellar career but predicted that the southpaw will not have a ‘good end’ to his Test career.

“We would wish him good luck but we are not hoping for a good end for David Warner in his last Test series against us,” said Shaheen Afridi.

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Afridi also stressed the importance of the Australian series for Pakistan to hold on to their top spot in the World Test Championship’s points table.

“This is an important series for Pakistan as we are leading the World Test Championship’s point table at the moment,” he further added.

He further expressed his side’s readiness to take the challenge of facing Australia in their tough home conditions.

“We have played against the recently announced Australia’s 14-member squad, and we are all up for this challenge,” he affirmed.

Pakistan and Australia will square off in the first Test match in Perth from 14-18 December 2023.

The second Test match will be played in Melbourne, from 26 to 30 December, while Sydney will host the last game of the tour from 3 to 7 January 2024.

Pakistan squad

Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi

Australia squad

David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Cameron Green, Lance Morris

READ: Fatima, Shawaal lead Pakistan women to historic win over New Zealand

Australia keep faith with David Warner for first Pakistan Test

Veteran opener David Warner kept his spot in Australia’s squad to face Pakistan in the first Test this month for what is expected to be his farewell series.

Warner was in scintillating white ball form at the recently concluded ICC World Cup 2023, but he has scored just one Test century since early 2020 and averages only 28 since the 2019-2020 summer.

It has sparked questions about whether he should retain his place at the top of the order alongside Usman Khawaja, with the likes of Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris and Matt Renshaw knocking on the door.

That trio will all play for the Prime Minister’s XI against Pakistan in a four-day red ball warm-up this week in Canberra, widely seen as an audition for Warner’s job.

“This group, led by Pat Cummins, has built a strong resume over an extended period,” chairman of selectors George Bailey said of the squad, which was named only for the Perth Test.

“We believe they have earned the opportunity to start in our first home Test match at the beginning of the new World Test Championship cycle.”

Australia will open the three-Test series against Pakistan in Perth on December 14, before the traditional Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, then Sydney, beginning January 3.

David Warner, 37, has indicated he plans to quit the five-day game after the Test at his home Sydney Cricket Ground against Pakistan but continue in white ball cricket.

Australia also have Tests against the West Indies later in January at Adelaide and Brisbane.

“As ever, there will be opportunities in the short- to medium-term to break into this squad,” said Bailey.

“We look forward to seeing the continued strong performances from players who have been performing domestically, many of whom will get a tremendous opportunity in the PM’s XI fixture against Pakistan later this week.”

The only change for Perth from the team that started Australia’s last Test against England at the Oval in July is likely to be the return of fit-again spinner Nathan Lyon in place of Todd Murphy, who did not make the squad.

Lyon has 496 Test wickets and is on the verge of joining just seven other Test bowlers to breach the 500 mark, including fellow spin kings Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne and Anil Kumble.

Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are again set to spearhead the pace attack with Scott Boland and firebrand Lance Morris — on the comeback from a back stress injury — waiting in the wings.

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green were both included in the 14-men Australia squad to face Pakistan, but Marsh has moved ahead in the pecking order.

Australia squad for the first Test against Pakistan

READ: Fatima, Shawaal lead Pakistan women to historic win over New Zealand

First Pakistan vs Australia Test to be named as ‘West Test’

Cricket Australia (CA) has announced that the first Test match of the three-match Test series between Australia and Pakistan which is scheduled to be held at Perth Stadium will be named ‘The West Test’, inspired by WACA ground’s traditions.

The stadium which has a capacity of 60,000 seats will undergo a makeover for the “The West Test” just to bring some energy to the WACA ground, meanwhile, the four bays of seating will be temporarily removed which is branded as NRMA Insurance Test against Pakistan.

The three-tiered grassed area features three tiers and has the capacity of 500 spectators at a time on ‘The West Test Hill’.

The West Test Hill will include a family area with games for children and ample shaded seating spaces for fans to relax and enjoy the first Test match of the summer.

Additionally, the CommBank Women’s International Series Test match between Australia and South Africa will also carry The West Test name, creating continuity between the women’s and men’s game and Test cricket across the state’s two venues.

The Gabba has in the past featured a pool deck, and in recent years ‘The Boundary Social’ was a big hit in Melbourne and Sydney, and now WA is following suit with a new way for fans to enjoy the cricket.

Cricket Australia General Manager, Events & Operations Joel Morrison, said:

“International cricket in Perth has always been one of the great events of the Australian summer.

“The ‘West Test’ will take this to another level combining world-class action on the field with brilliant experiences for fans within the stadium, including on ‘The Hill’ thanks to the support of NRMA Insurance.

“The historic rivalry between Australia and Pakistan has been rekindled since our long-awaited tour to Pakistan last year so there is no better way to launch men’s international cricket this summer via the West Test in one of the world’s great cities.”

WA Cricket CEO, Christina Matthews, said:

“The West Test will give Western Australians something to be proud of – Women’s and Men’s Test matches that feel uniquely ours and showcase our brilliant stadia to the world.

The first step in the transformation of our Men’s Test is The Hill, providing WA cricket fans with a new way to experience Australia’s clash with Pakistan at our world class Perth Stadium.

“We look forward to working with CA and all partners in the game to continue developing The West Test event as we move towards series against India and England in coming years.”

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