Pakistan

As a result, the West Indies T20 team will be led by Nicholas Pooran while the ODI team will be led by Shai Hope. Pooran led the West Indies to a 4-1 victory T20 series over Australia earlier this year. Hope will be leading the West Indies ODI team for the first time.

 Meantime, the CWI selection panel has named the experienced Devon Thomas as Pollard’s replacement in the One-Day International (ODI) squad while allrounder Rovman Powell will replace the Trinidadian the T20 International (T20I) squad.

Pollard will now undergo rehabilitation work in Trinidad, under the supervision of CWI’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Israel Dowlat, and will be reassessed in a few weeks ahead of the upcoming home tours against Ireland and England in January 2022.

The West Indies are due to play three T20Is and three ODIs at the Karachi National Stadium from December 13 to 22. The start times for the matches are T20Is at 6 pm local time (9 am Eastern Caribbean/8 am Jamaica) and the ODIs at 1 pm local time (4 am Eastern Caribbean/3 am Jamaica).

The ODI Series will be West Indies fourth series of 12 in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League in which the top seven teams can secure automatic qualification for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India. West Indies currently lie in eighth position out of 13 teams and have the opportunity to move above Pakistan into seventh position.

ODI squad: Shai Hope (Captain), Nicholas Pooran (Vice-Captain), Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Devon Thomas and Hayden Walsh Jr.

T20I squad: Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Shai Hope (Vice-Captain), Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Oshane Thomas and Hayden Walsh Jr.

Schedule

December 13 – 1st T20I, Karachi

December 14 – 2nd T20I, Karachi

December 16 – 3rd T20I, Karachi

December 18 – 1st ODI, Karachi

December 20 – 2nd ODI, Karachi

December 22 – 3rd ODI, Karachi

Stokes set Pakistan 343 for victory on a flat pitch when he ended the tourists' innings on 264-7 from 35.5 overs during the tea break on Sunday and they closed on 80-2.

Debutant Will Jacks had earlier taken 6-161 to bowl Pakistan out for 579 before England put their foot down again, with Harry Brook (87), Joe Root (73) and Zak Crawley (50) scoring rapid half-centuries.

Having kept the match alive with such a positive approach on a placid track, England got rid of Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam, with Azhar Ali also departing retired hurt to leave the game well poised heading into the final day.

Agha Salman (53) and Zahid Mahmood (17) held England up with an eighth-wicket stand of 57 after they resumed on 499-7, but the impressive Jacks removed that pair and Haris Rauf to end the innings.

Ben Duckett was taken by Salman at second slip off Naseem Shah for a golden duck in the first over of England's second innings and Ollie Pope made only 15, but Crawley and Root piled on the runs.

They put on 60 before the elegant Crawley, one of the tourists' four first-innings centurions, was removed by Mohammad Ali, with Brook then sharing a rapid stand of 96 with Root.

Former captain Root batted left-handed at one stage as he made a classy half-century, while Brook showed his full repertoire of shots on both sides of the wicket as the runs continued to flow.

Root was caught when sweeping Zahid and Stokes fell without scoring in the same over, before declaring after the brilliant Brook was cleaned up by Naseem on the stroke of tea.

England's short-ball approach paid off when Ollie Robinson dismissed Shafique and Stokes claimed the huge wicket of Babar, caught behind for only four, after Azhar departed having taken blow on his index finger.

Imam-ul-Haq (43 not out) and Saud Shakeel (24no) saw Pakistan through to the close, the debutant getting a late life when he was dropped by Keaton Jennings at short leg. 

The joy of six for Jacks 

Jacks came into the England set-up better known for his explosive batting than his bowling, but the spinning all-rounder has made a big impact with the ball on his Test bow.

He polished off Pakistan's first innings in the morning session to double his wicket tally, earning his rewards for bowling 40.3 overs. 

Jacks later struck three sixes as he made a quickfire 23 from 13 balls as England batted in one-day mode once again before the declaration.

Blistering Brook, Stokes strikes

Following a 153 from 116 balls in the first innings, Brook put on another show as he took the Pakistan bowling attack apart.

He struck three sixes and 11 fours, demonstrating great timing and clean hitting to enable Stokes to declare during the tea interval.

Stokes then claimed the huge scalp of Babar to give England the upper hand after Robinson had Shafique taken by Brook in the deep.

Amir this month confirmed to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) he no longer wishes to be considered for selection.

The 28-year-old pace bowler had already called time on his Test career and has now decided he does not want to play for his country in white-ball cricket.

Amir stated that issues with the PCB management team prompted him to quit after he was omitted from the squad for the tour of New Zealand.

The left-arm quick said he had been "tortured mentally" and could not take any more, saying the management team would not stop bringing up his decision to turn his back on Test cricket.

Former captain and chief selector Inzamam spoke of his regret that Amir will not feature for Pakistan again, but feels he should have spoken to head coach Misbah-ul-Haq before making his mind up.

"Amir is a good player and his absence has affected the side. But we have other bowlers as well, who are doing well," Inzamam told the media.

"Such incidents should not take place in Pakistan cricket and this is more important for me as compared to how it affects our bowling strength.

"A player should not leave cricket in such a manner, after having served Pakistan cricket, as it doesn't look good,

"If Amir had any issues with Waqar [bowling coach Younis], he should have talked with Misbah and if that didn't work he should have approached the PCB.

"If the issue remained after this, then he had the right to take such a decision. It's unfortunate to see a player retire just because he was unhappy with one person."

Balbirnie plundered 77 from 55 balls, including 10 fours and two sixes, and his partnership of 76 with Harry Tector (36) edged Ireland closer to victory.

Curtis Campher (15*) and Gareth Delany (10*) saw them over the line to secure the win with one ball to spare.

Despite an early setback, Pakistan started strong, with Babar Azam hitting 57 and Saim Ayub adding 45.

However, Craig Young’s strong performance saw him take 2-27 as Ireland took control to limit the visitors in the later stages as Azam Khan and Shadab Khan both walked without getting any runs.

The sides will meet again at the Dublin venue on Sunday and Tuesday.

Data Debrief:

Ireland achieved their target of 183 against Pakistan successfully today, making it their highest run chase against a full-member side in men's T20Is.

Ireland's first win against Pakistan came at the 2007 World Cup and 17 years later they secured a first victory over them in T20 cricket.

The latest landmark moment of a phenomenal career illuminated a rain-ruined final day, with visiting skipper Azhar edging a lifting delivery to Joe Root at slip after the first two sessions of Tuesday were lost at Southampton.

England great Anderson, playing for the 156th time in the longest format, was at his brilliant in claiming a 29th five-wicket haul in Tests as Pakistan, already 1-0 down in the series, were bowled out for 273 and forced to follow-on at the end of day three.

It meant the 38-year-old emerged with the new ball in his hand on the fourth morning, although a dropped catch behind the stumps by Jos Buttler delayed his progress - as similar errors by Rory Burns, Zak Crawley and Stuart Broad had late on Sunday.

He trapped Abid Ali lbw for number 599 and, despite the best efforts of the elements, Anderson would not be denied his moment in the final Test of the English summer.

Anderson is fourth on Test cricket's all-time list, with India leg-spinner Anil Kumble next in his sights on 619 wickets, while all-time greats Shane Warne (708) and Muttiah Muralitharan (800) are somewhat further afield.

A five-for on debut against Zimbabwe in 2003 launched Anderson's red-ball international career and he went on to establish himself as the leader of the England attack under Andrew Strauss' captaincy, with the side memorably winning the 2010-11 Ashes away from home and ascending to number one in the world.

He became England's most prolific bowler in his 100th Test match against West Indies in 2015, dismissing Denesh Ramdin to reach 383 victims and overtake Ian Botham.

Anderson has since continued to go from strength to strength, usually in alliance with his long-time new ball partner Stuart Broad, who joined him in the 500 club earlier this season.

When Anderson removed India's Mohammed Shami at The Oval in 2018, he moved on to 564 wickets to usurp Glenn McGrath as the most prolific seamer ever.

Australia hero McGrath then laid down a challenge now accomplished.

"I have a lot of respect for Jimmy. He's been an incredible bowler for a long time," he told BBC Radio 5Live. "If he can raise the bar to 600 wickets, that's an incredible effort."

Jamieson took 6-48 in the second innings, and 11 wickets for the match, as the Black Caps wrapped up victory by an innings and 176 runs on day four at Hagley Oval on Wednesday.

Pakistan were dismissed for 186 as New Zealand won a sixth straight Test for the first time in their history and secured a 2-0 series success, going top of the world rankings for the first time.

Azhar Ali (37) and Zafar Gohar (37) provided the most resistance as the tourists had no answers to Jamieson and Trent Boult (3-43).

Only Richard Hadlee (15 against Australia in 1985) and Daniel Vettori (12, twice) have taken more wickets in a single Test for New Zealand than Jamieson's 11.

Pakistan resumed at 8-1, still trailing by 354 runs, before Mohammad Abbas (3) fell early after edging Boult behind to BJ Watling, and wasting a review.

Substitute fielder Will Young then took a spectacular one-handed catch diving to his right at point to remove Abid Ali (26) off Jamieson.

Haris Sohail (15) and Azhar edged Jamieson behind to leave Pakistan at 88-5 and the Black Caps well on track for victory.

Mohammad Rizwan (10), Fawad Alam (16) and Faheem Ashraf (28) provided limited resistance before Gohar's late hitting, with Kane Williamson – who made a double century on Tuesday – chipping in with a wicket.

The 6’8” fast bowler grabbed his third five-wicket haul for 69 runs in his sixth Test appearance as the tourists were bowled out for 297 in Christchurch.

Mohammad Rizwan’s side were reeling at 88-4 at lunch after Kane Williamson put Pakistan into bat and Jamieson recorded figures of three for 26 runs in a devastating first session.

Tim Southee made the breakthrough removing Shan Masood for a duck, before Jamieson claimed Abid Ali for 25, Haris Sohail for one and Fawad Alam for two as Pakistan lost three wickets for 17 runs.

Azhar Ali and Rizwan’s 88-run fifth-wicket partnership helped Pakistan recover from their morning collapse until Jamieson found Rizwan's outside edge and BJ Watling snared his opposing wicketkeeper for 61.

Johnson took the wickets of Mohammad Rizwan (16), Sahibzada Farhan (5), Usman Khan (52), Salman Agha (0) and Abbas Afridi (4) as Australia followed up their 29-run win in Thursday's rain-affected opener.

The momentum swung back and forth as both teams' batters struggled on a difficult surface, with Haris Rauf finishing with figures of 4-22 for Pakistan.

No Australia batter managed more than the 32 runs of opener Matthew Short, and they found themselves bundled out for 149, losing their last five wickets for just 53 runs.

However, Pakistan were dropped to 44-4 by the middle of their ninth over, with Johnson clearing up the tourists' captain Rizwan and vice-captain Salman with successive deliveries.

Usman's fine knock of 52 off 38 balls – including four fours and one maximum – dragged Pakistan back into contention, but he was beaten by the pace of another Johnson delivery with four overs remaining. 

Pakistan ultimately needed 16 runs off the final over to level up the series, but their hopes were ended when Rauf was run out following a calamitous mix-up with Irfan Khan (37 not out), which saw both batters almost finish at the bowler's end.

Data Debrief: Australia on a roll

Australia entered this series having won just one of their last four bilateral T20I series against Pakistan, triumphing 2-0 in 2019 but losing the other three.

Regardless of the outcome of Monday's third match in Tasmania, the hosts have backed up that triumph, extending their unbeaten run across all men's T20I series to five (four wins, one draw). 

They last enjoyed a streak of this length between November 2018 and February 2020 (also four wins, one draw).

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Sunday that former Supreme Court judge Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar would hear the appeal.

Announcing the appointment, the PCB said: "The independent adjudicator will now decide on the date of the appeal hearing. As soon as this is confirmed, the PCB will make the announcement."

Akmal was issued with his ban from all cricket in April, after two alleged breaches of the PCB's anti-corruption code.

The limited-overs specialist, now 30, was accused of "failing to disclose to the PCB vigilance and security department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the participant to engage in corrupt conduct under this anti-corruption code".

Akmal, who was provisionally suspended on February 20, could have faced a lifetime ban.

The batsman has played 121 ODIs and 84 Twenty20 Internationals, also featuring in 16 Tests between 2009 and 2011.

Meanwhile, the PCB waved goodbye to several leading figures from within its ranks on Sunday, amid a slew of personnel changes within the organisation and the national cricket academy.

"Mudassar Nazar, Haroon Rashid, Mushtaq Ahmed and Agha Zahid finish their innings at the PCB today," the board said on Twitter.

"While the PCB thanks and wishes them well, it also welcomes Nadeem Khan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Grant Bradburn and Asser Malik."

Legendary South Africa all-rounder Kallis is the fourth player from his country to receive the honour, while Sthalekar is the 27th Australian and Abbas the sixth from Pakistan.

The great Kallis is the only player to score at least 10,000 runs and take at 250 wickets or more in both Test and ODI cricket.

Kallis is South Africa's leading Test run-scorer and the third-highest from any nation, while he also took 577 wickets for the Proteas in all formats during a stellar career.

"It's a great honour to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. It is something that I never expected when I started playing," said Kallis.

"I certainly did not play the game for any accolades or anything like that, I only wanted to win the games for whoever I was playing for."

Gifted all-rounder Sthalekar was a key member of the Australia side that won the Women's World Cup in 2005 and 2013, as well as the T20 World Cup in 2010 and 2012.

She topped both the ODI batting and bowling rankings and goes down as the first woman to as score 1,000 runs and take 100 wickets in ODIs

Sthalekar said: "I am deeply humbled to receive this honour. Never in my wildest dreams did I believe that I would ever get to join such an illustrious group of players."

Abbas was known as the 'Asian Bradman' due to the style in which he piled on the runs in the 1970s and 80s.

He is the only player from Asia to have scored at least 100 first-class centuries.

"I feel privileged and truly humbled to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame of the class of 2020. I am excited to be in the midst of other illustrious cricketers," said Abbas of becoming one of 93 players to join the Hall of Fame.

“Keemo Paul has been kept out in the recent past due to injury and we view the management of his body as paramount to his success, not only when on West Indies duty but also when he is with his regional franchise. We have watched him perform in the recent West Indies Championship Four-Day Competition for the Guyana Harpy Eagles and we think he is ready to come back into the fold,” said CWI Lead Selector, the Most Honorable Dr. Desmond Haynes.

During the first-class tournament Paul was the leading fast bowler and second highest wicket-taker overall. He ended the five matches with 20 wickets at an average of 22.8 runs per wicket. He had best figures of 6-50. He was also among the leading allrounders with 169 runs including a highest score of 73.

The West Indies tour of Pakistan will bowl off on Wednesday, June 8. First ball is 4pm PKT time (7am Eastern Caribbean/6am Jamaica).

The series will also form part of the ICC ODI Super League where the teams will have the chance to earn points as they try to secure automatic qualification to the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India.

Khawaja, who returned to the Test side during the Ashes after more than two years outside the team, was named in Australia's squad for next month's Pakistan Test series.

The 35-year-old admitted he was sad for "the person" when Langer resigned as Australia head coach amid a messy exit with talk of a player revolt.

Langer spent almost four years in the head coaching role but resigned on Saturday, rejecting a six-month contract extension.

The 51-year-old's exit comes after leading Australia to a 4-0 Ashes triumph and a stunning T20 World Cup victory which has raised eyebrows, yet there have been rumblings of internal issues.

"I just came back in the team two months ago. I've been a little bit out of it, a little bit disconnected, but there's obviously a lot of ex-players coming and talking about the playing group," Khawaja told reporters on Tuesday.

"At some stage, one of the captains, probably Finchy or Patty, will probably have to stand up and answer some questions just to get rid of all the speculation that's going around. To just put an end to it all."

Khawaja said Langer had tried to take on player feedback and insisted "always got along with him".

But several key members of the Australian side, including Cummins, failed to publicly back Langer for a contract extension in the lead-up to Saturday's announcement.

"It's part of speculation which I don't think is really healthy. I just don't want to add to it," Cummins said on Thursday when asked about a contract renewal for Langer.

"That's Cricket Australia's job. It's not my job. I've really loved my time working with JL and we've had an evaluation process. I've been part of that, a lot of other players and staff have been part of that.

"Just like when we get evaluated. I've got huge respect for JL, really like working with him. But it's not my call."

After drawing last week's opening Test in Rawalpindi, it was Australia who laid down an early marker on Saturday as they reached stumps on 251-3.

The in-form Khawaja batted all day as he made an unbeaten 127, while Steve Smith was also on course for three figures before being caught by Faheem Ashraf off the bowling of Hasan Ali for 72 just before the close.

Khawaja profited from what he described as "pretty negative" bowling from the hosts to hit 13 fours and one six in a classy knock.

David Warner went for 36 and Marnus Labuschagne was run out on a duck, but Khawaja's batting ensured even the late loss of Smith did not hamper the tourists too much.

Nathan Lyon will resume alongside Khawaja on Sunday as Pakistan look to make inroads after a frustrating opening day.

"It would have been nice to have Smith there at the end," Khawaja said. "We've still got plenty of batting to come. 

"The wicket was pretty nice today and is going to get worse, and it's feeling like it'll break up in the back end of the match. 

"They bowled pretty negative and we were not going to give them free wickets. It would have been nice to get a hundred both in Rawalpindi and here but I'll take this one."

Khawaja goes one better

After falling three short of a century in Rawalpindi last week, the Islamabad-born Khawaja was not to be denied an 11th Test century on Saturday.

He has now logged two centuries and five half-centuries across eight Test innings against his country of birth.

Pakistan falter

Babar Azam's tactics after tea must be questioned, though Hasan did find a breakthrough when ending a 159-run partnership late on to give Pakistan a platform to build on.

Pakistan have only suffered two defeats at the National Stadium in 44 Tests and will need some quick wickets with the new ball in Sunday's morning session.

Responding to Pakistan's first innings' 476-4 declared and resuming on five without loss, Khawaja's 97, along with half-centuries from David Warner (68) and Marnus Labuschagne (69 not out), took the tourists to 271-2 - trailing by 205 runs when bad light stopped play.

It means Australia, playing with heavy hearts following the sudden passing of legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne on Friday, are in an excellent position to at least claim a draw.

The Islamabad-born Khawaja and Warner laid the foundations, combining for a stand of 156, the second-highest opening partnership in Test history in Rawalpindi.

Both Khawaja and Warner played in attacking fashion, the former's half-century coming off just 67 balls. Warner's came in 86, but he was undone when he attempted to go square through the off side and missed a Sajid Khan delivery that careered into middle stump.

His exit did not open the floodgates as Pakistan might have hoped, but they did at least prevent Khawaja from recording an 11th Test hundred.

Khawaja contributed to his own downfall as he got a reverse sweep all wrong, gloving Nauman Ali to Imam-ul-Haq at foward short-leg, with Aleem Dar forced to overturn his original not out decision following a review.

Yet, with Labuschange and Steve Smith (24 not out) surviving until the fading light forced the players off, Australia have two batters who are among the most difficult in world cricket to dislodge set at the crease, a sign that is, for Pakistan, as ominous as the gloom that stopped proceedings.

Khawaja and Warner narrowly miss out on history

Only Mark Taylor and Michael Slater (176) have linked up for a higher first-wicket stand than Khawaja and Warner in Rawalpindi, that duo excelling in October 1994 in a match that ultimately ended in a draw. The same result looks likely again here after Khawaja and Warner narrowly missed out on surpassing their compatriots.

Labuschagne to let loose?

Pakistan will have painful memories of their previous two encounters against Labuschagne, which saw him score 185 at Brisbane and then 162 at Adelaide in 2019. He looks in the kind of form to deliver another massive score.

Draws in the first two Tests set up a winner-take-all contest in Lahore, where the surface appears to have plenty in it for the bowlers to ensure a result this time around.

Shaheen's blistering start suggested as much, as the Pakistan seamer removed David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne in the space of three deliveries to leave Australia reeling on 8-2.

But Khawaja, born in Pakistan, once again excelled with the bat, he and Steve Smith leading the Australia response to help them fight back to reach 232-5 at stumps. Khawaja was denied a second century of the series, as a stunning one-handed catch at slip from Babar Azam saw him out for 91.

Bowlers have consistently had to work hard for wickets in an attritional series but when Shaheen had Warner (7) trapped lbw and Labuschagne edged a poor shot behind to fall for a duck, Pakistan had hope of blitzing their way through a frequently steadfast Australia batting order.

Any such prospect was extinguished by the partnership of Khawaja and Smith (59), the latter recording his third successive half-century as they put on 138 for the third wicket.

But Naseem had Smith trapped in front to end his hopes of converting his fifty into a hundred and Khawaja was then denied three figures by Sajid Khan and the brilliance of Babar.

An excellent length delivery from Naseem removed Travis Head for 26, though Cameron Green and Alex Carey's unbroken partnership of 26 from 42 balls gave Australia reason for hope at the close.

Khawaja shows his class again

After falling three short of a hometown century at Rawalpindi in the opener, Khawaja - having hit a brilliant 160 in the second Test - again fell in the 90s here, but his consistency since returning to Test set-up in January has been remarkable. He has now scored at least 90 in five of his last eight innings.

Smith closing on 8,000

Smith did not review the delivery that ended his innings, but there must have been a great deal of temptation to do so given his dismissal left him just seven runs shy of 8,000 in the longest format.

The result leaves Pakistan bottom of Group A following their shock loss to the United States in their opening game of the tournament.

Having won the toss and elected to bowl first, Pakistan were aided by rain interruptions and dismissed their opponents for 119.

They also made a good start with the bat as Mohammad Rizwan laid the platform for the chase after scoring 31 from 44 balls. 

However, their middle-order batters failed to step up as Jasprit Bumrah (3-14) made crucial breakthroughs and bowled 15 dot balls to maintain India's unbeaten start to their campaign. 

"Disappointing loss, that's for sure," Kirsten said shortly after the defeat. 

"I knew 120 was not going to be an easy target. If India got only 120, it was always going to be not the easiest. But I think we had the game at 72 for 2 with six or seven overs left. Disappointing not to get across the line from the position we got ourselves into."

Kirsten was asked where the game slipped from their hands. "Decision-making," he said. 

"You have got the game on, run a ball, eight wickets in hand, decision-making at that point. That's the game. That's international cricket for you.

"You make mistakes like that, you are going to pay. I thought we made some poor decisions at important phases of the game. I thought Rizwan played well for us. We knew it was going to be a tough wicket to bat on. We managed the chase very well but then just let it slip in the end."

Pakistan travel to New York to face Canada on Tuesday with India squaring off against the hosts at the same venue a day later.

Lahore will stage all three matches in the series, which comes after Pakistan recorded a 2-0 sweep over the same opponents in Test action. 

However, many of the Proteas who featured in that series are not involved in the T20 fixtures, including captain Quinton de Kock. 

Heinrich Klaasen is instead in charge for the tourists, while Dwaine Pretorius, Lutho Sipamla, Tabraiz Shamsi and George Linde are the only members of the squad who have stayed on after Test duty. 

The stand-in skipper insists that while South Africa may be lacking in experience, those on duty are determined to seize the opportunities that come their way during the trip. 

"South Africa has got loads of talent, which people sometimes don't see because we only have six franchises," Klaasen said. "We are by no means a second-string T20 squad, and we are looking to win." 

Klaasen revealed he is now "fit and safe" after overcoming COVID-19, though it took a heavy toll on him physically. He put up an Instagram post during his recovery to make clear the effects of the virus, in which he wrote: "Covid is real and didn't think it would be this hard to come back". 

As for Pakistan, they have named a 20-man squad that includes four uncapped players but is missing Mohammad Hafeez, who failed to come to an agreement over the date he was to enter the group's bio-secure bubble. 

Fakhar Zaman and Wahab Riaz are also notable absentees having been dropped, while Shadab Khan is ruled out through injury. 

Zafar Gohar, Danish Aziz, Zahid Mehmood and Amad Butt are the quartet of new faces, while Hasan Ali – the hero for the hosts in the second Test with 10 wickets in the match – is back involved again in the shortest format.

Pakistan go into the opening game on Thursday having won 14 of their previous 18 T20 matches on home soil (L4), including the last five in a row.

Babar right up there with the best

No matter what the format, Babar Azam is crucial to Pakistan. The right-handed batsman has scored the most amount of runs in T20 cricket at international level since the start of 2018, managing 1,213 across his 28 innings at an average of 52.7.

After a relatively quiet Test series in terms of his individual output, Babar will be eager to capitalise on a new-look South African attack that is without the services of pace trio Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi.

Positive spin to help Proteas

Shamsi is one of the few who has remained for the T20 series; the left-arm wrist spinner was ruled out of the first Test with a back injury and then did not feature in the second match.

The 30-year-old has played in 25 T20 games for South Africa, taking 21 wickets at 33.33 with an economy rate of 7.69 runs per over, and has the chance to become a pivotal member of the XI, particularly with a World Cup in the format to come in India later this year.

Key series facts

- South Africa have never lost a multi-game bilateral T20 series in Asia, winning five times out of a possible six in the continent (D1).
- Since the start of 2018, Pakistan wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed (18 catches and five stumpings) has been directly involved in the joint-most T20 dismissals among those featuring for a Test-playing nation (23 – level with Alex Carey and Tim Seifert).
- Since the start of 2018, Babar Azam has scored the most runs in the T20 format, managing 1,213 runs across his 28 innings at an average of 52.7.
- Only David Miller from the current Proteas squad has played a T20 international game in Pakistan, having represented the World XI in 2017. He has logged 20 catches in the format since the start of 2018, the third-most of those to feature for a Test-playing nation.
- Faheem Ashraf recorded more dot balls than any other player during the T20 series against New Zealand in December 2020). He has only been able to claim four wickets at an average of 41.3 in Pakistan, however.

The hosts reached stumps at 328/4 in Multan, but things could have been worse for England on a day that started with both teams keen to bat on a pristine surface. 

Masood won the toss and elected to bat, and it was his excellent knock of 155 off 177 deliveries – his first Test ton in four years – that helped to put them in a commanding position at 261/1 soon after tea.

England actually made a fast start as Gus Atkinson – playing in his first overseas Test – had Saim Ayub (4) caught behind by Jamie Smith, but if the tourists thought they had an early breakthrough, those thoughts were soon dispelled. 

Shafique put a poor run of form behind him with his watchful century, hitting 102 runs off 188 deliveries as Pakistan batted out the best part of two sessions without further loss.

He then fell victim to Atkinson in the 60th over of the day, playing a tired shot straight to England's stand-in captain Ollie Pope at cover, and within three more overs, Jack Leach had the wicket the tourists desperately craved.

Fatigue also looked to play a part as Masood tamely chipped Leach's delivery straight back to the bowler, bringing an end to his magnificent innings.

It was then time for Chris Woakes, who – like the rest of England's attack – had bowled expensively early on, to get in on the act.

He pinned Babar Azam lbw for 30, with a Pakistan review in vain as England gave themselves a chance to attack the middle order on Tuesday, the hosts only adding four more runs before stumps.

Data Debrief: Pakistan's progress slows

Pakistan knew they needed early runs to put Brendon McCullum's high-scoring tourists on the back foot, and early runs are exactly what they got.

Captain Masood led from the front, with his 43-ball half-century being the second-fastest by a Pakistan skipper in Tests, as he bids to halt the team's five-match losing run with him at the helm.

But things became steadier for Masood and his team-mates as the day went on. Pakistan's run rate stood at 4.88 by lunch, 4.48 by tea and 3.81 by stumps. England will hope they have weathered the storm and can go on the attack on day two.

The tourists stumbled to 267 in their first innings, but the bowlers managed to salvage some pride late in the day.

Zak Crawley (29) and Ben Duckett (52) initially made a strong start with an opening partnership of 56, but the wickets started to tumble soon after.

Ollie Pope (3), Joe Root, Harry Brook (both 5) and Ben Stokes (12) were all dismissed by Sajid Khan (6-128) as England slumped to 118-6, but Jamie Smith restored some pride.

He was caught by Mohammad Rizwan just short of a century after plundering 89, while Gus Atkinson added a needed 39 before their innings was brought to an end.

However, Pakistan were unable to build on their momentum, as they finished the day 73-3, with Shoaib Bashir, Jack Leach and Atkison stalling them.

The hosts trail by 194 runs after day one of the deciding Test in the three-match series, with Shan Masood (16 not out) and Saud Shakeel (16 not out), set to resume at the crease on Friday. 

Data Debrief: Smith to the rescue

It looked like England might suffer yet another collapse against Pakistan after the quick dismissals of their early batters, but Smith stepped in to steady the tide.

He got his first Test half-century away from home and was unlucky not to come away with a ton after a great stand for England. 

And that was all down to Pakistan's bowling. They employed spin exclusively across the 68.2 overs, the longest first innings in Test history without any seam bowling.

The spinner crossed the mark with figures of 4-98 in Multan as the tourists forced a collapse from the hosts to bowl them all out for 202 on the second day.

Half-centuries for Ben Duckett and Harry Brook saw England reach stumps with a lead of 281, pushing them closer to a series victory on their first red-ball visit to the country since 2005.

Leach, who made his debut in 2018, has played 31 Tests for England, but remains surprised to have reached the magic milestone, given his struggles with Crohn's disease and other matters limiting his game.

"I never thought that would happen," he told Sky Sports. 

"It's crazy to think I've got 100 wickets in Test matches just because of how difficult I've found it at times.

"But then you realise there have been some good moments along the way, you do some good things. I definitely feel like I'm getting better as I play more, so that's pleasing."

Having seen Pakistan set off in pursuit of what looked like it would be a high first-innings total, Leach's spell with ball in hand was crucial to preventing fast progress and ensuring a lead for England.

"On these wickets, it's about being as patient as you can between those [sharply turning] deliveries," he added. 

"It's something I'll try to do better in the next innings, to patiently go about my work. 

"There's a bit more happening than in Rawalpindi so it is just looking to be patient and work your way through. It's really difficult.

"I think it's been a really good day for us. [We'll] look to get a few more [runs] tomorrow, then have another go at them. They [the England batters] played really, really well and put us in a good position."