With the disappointment of back-to-back losses hanging heavy in the air, the West Indies will enter Saturday’s final One Day International (ODI) against Sri Lanka, hoping to avoid a 3-0 sweep at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

In fact, West Indies captain Shai Hope was not shy to admit that this last contest in the three-match series is about more than just pride, it is about learning from mistakes and building resilience for the future.

The West Indies struggled with both bat and ball in the first two encounters, which they lost by five wickets. Hope acknowledges that those matches have exposed key areas that his side must improve upon, particularly their handling of spin and situational awareness under pressure.

“There are several factors we can point out, but I just think not adapting to the conditions fast enough was our main problem. Obviously, we didn't win the crucial stages of the game, and obviously, the spin department has been the only thing we have going right now for us. But yeah, the thing is, there are a lot of lessons that we need to take from the series. We can't change the past right now; we have to learn from it, and it's very important we do so quickly,” Hope said in a pre-game interview.

Hope emphasized that players need to improve individually and as a whole to support one another and create a solid, cohesive unit. He noted that achieving that level of synergy would take time but remained optimistic about the direction the team is headed.

“We have to keep trying. We have to keep finding ways to get better. I think it's more mental than anything at this point in time because skill work is skill work, yes, but we have to make sure we find ways to adapt as quickly as we can. One day of practice is not going to make us into the greatest batter or the greatest bowler ever. So there's more mental prep that we need to do right now at this stage and plan well,” Hope argued.

With the series outcome already decided, Saturday’s match will serve as a final test of character for the West Indies team, with fans and players alike hoping for a redeeming performance. However, to achieve that feat, the top order of the batting lineup will need to counter Sri Lanka's challenging spin attack, while the bowling unit will also have to be on point.

“Yeah, for sure, it has not been good enough. We asked the openers and the top-order batters to set the platform for the guys in the middle, and it's clear to see we didn't do that in this series, and we had to depend a lot on the lower order, which they played really well, in my opinion. But if we get those good starts or if we get that good start in this last game here, I think it would be a whole change to the context of the game,” Hope noted.

That said, the skipper singled out middle-order batsman Sherfane Rutherford, who scored 74 and 80 in the first two games, including sharing in an historic 119-run nine-wicket partnership with Gudakesh Motie in the second contest.

“He's been playing really well. He's been putting a lot of work off the field, and a lot of people won't see that, but the way he's progressed and matured for his career so far, I think, is tremendous. I think there's a lot that he can take from these few performances that he's had so far,” Hope said.

“He's shown that he's capable of batting and adapting to those conditions that we speak about in the team room. But, yeah, I think he's got a lot more to offer, and it's great to see he's getting those big scores now and all that hard work he's putting in is coming to fruition,” he ended.

West Indies batsman Kyle Mayers has been appointed Barbados Pride captain for the 2024 Super50 Cup.

Mayers replaces Shai Hope, who misses out due to international commitments, as Pride skipper.

Also out of the team from the 2023 squad are Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamar Brooks, Roston Chase, Akeem Jordan, Jair McAllister, Roshon Primus, and Kemar Smith.

Jordan has been listed as a reserve for the tournament.

The 2024 Super Cup will be staged in Trinidad from 29 October to 23 November.

Barbados has won the tournament six times with their last title coming in 2017.

They got to the semi-finals of last year's edition.

Full squad: Kyle Mayers (captain), Zachary McCaskie, Leniko Boucher, Kadeem Alleyne, Kevin Wickham, Raymon Reifer, Nyeem Young, Dominic Drakes, Chemar Holder, Kemar Smith, Jomel Warrican, Matthew Jones, Javed Leacock, Demetrius Richards

Reserves: Jonathan Drakes, Akeem Jordan, Tevyn Walcott, Hakeem Perryman, Nathan Sealy, Keon Harding, Amari Goodridge.

Saud Shakeel’s brilliant century saw Pakistan regain control in their deciding Test against England, with the help of some late wickets.

The tourists had started the day strongly, but their momentum slowly fizzled out through the day as they struggled to cope with Shakeel.

England took three late wickets on Thursday and picked up where they left off as Shoaib Bashir took Shan Masood before Rehad Ahmed's 4-66 put Pakistan in trouble at 187-7, the youngster scalping three in quick succession.

However, Shakeel was in control with the bat, plundering 134, and he was helped by lower-order partnerships with Noman Ali (45) and Sajid Khan (48 not out) as he pushed Pakistan towards their 344 total, and a 77-run lead.

Any hopes England had of quickly regaining their lead were quickly squashed, as they lost three wickets in the nine overs played before stumps, with Zak Crawley (2), Ben Duckett (12) and Ollie Pope (1) failing to put their stamp on things.

Joe Root (5 not out) and Harry Brook (3) are set to resume at the crease on Saturday on 24-3, with a lot of work to do as they trail by 53.

Data Debrief: The driving force

Shakeel got 16 of his runs at the very end of day one and stood firm through Friday's extended morning session in Rawalpindi as he used his smarts to stay in the game.

He faced 223 deliveries during his stand, but only hit five boundaries in his knock, all fours. 

Instead, it was his partnerships that proved fruitful, racking up 88 runs with Noman before adding another 72 with Khan before he was trapped lbw by Gus Atkinson.

Mitchell Santner's stellar bowling paired with Tom Latham's strong start with the bat put New Zealand in the driving seat on day two of their second Test against India.

The hosts resumed at the crease at 16-1 on Friday, and they started strong as Yashasvi Jaiswal (30) and Shubman Gill (30) got the ball rolling.

However, Santner (7-53) found his footing in the 22nd over, trapping the latter lbw and taking Virat Kohli for just one run shortly after.

Ravindra Jadeja threatened to get India back on track with his knock of 38, but the wickets continued to tumble as they were skittled for 156, already trailing by 103.

Latham then kept the tourists in control, plundering 86 before Washington Sundar picked up where he left off in the first innings.

The spinner took seven wickets on day one and got four more as he tried to limit the damage done by New Zealand in the second innings, but Will Young (23), Devon Conway (17) and Daryl Mitchell (18) kept them ticking over.

New Zealand had a healthy 301-run lead at stumps, ending the day 198-5, with Tom Blundell (30 not out) and Glenn Phillips (9 not out) hoping to keep their momentum going when play resumes on Saturday.

Data Debrief: On the cusp

Sundar's strong start on Thursday had given India hope, but they struggled to build on that when they stepped out for day two.

Instead, it was Santner who grabbed the headlines, with New Zealand pushing to get a maiden Test series win in India and end their hosts' 12-year unbeaten run at home.

Before this Test, he had never taken four wickets in an innings, but he managed an impressive seven-for as he made light work of India's batters.

Jamie Smith says England are "pretty pleased with the position we are in", after the tourists recovered from a tricky spell on day one of their final Test with Pakistan.

England made a strong start with an opening partnership of 56 from Zak Crawley (29) and Ben Duckett (52), but wickets began to tumble as they slumped to 118-6.

Sajid Khan (6-128) did most of the damage for the hosts, but Smith settled things down with a solid knock of 89 before the visitors were dismissed for 267.

Shoaib Bashir, Jack Leach and Guy Atkinson then stalled Pakistan's momentum at the crease, as they finished the day 194 runs adrift at 73-3.

Smith hit seven sixes on the way to his first Test half-century outside of England, and was pleased with the way he and his team-mates responded to their setback. 

"It's nice to do it away from home," he said. "You want to be known as someone who can do it in all conditions. It's nice to score runs wherever. 

"We are pretty pleased with the position we are in. We are happy to put runs on the board. It is a decent score, especially from the position we were in.

"When they're on top, they definitely try and let you know that and put you under as much pressure as possible. So, it's nice to revert that onto them and put them under some pressure."

South Africa's stand-in captain Aiden Markram predicted Thursday's victory over Bangladesh will serve as a confidence boost and help them enjoy more success in Asia in the future.

The Proteas won the first of two Tests by seven wickets, easing to a victory target of 106 in their second innings after skittling the hosts for 106 and 307.

It was their first red-ball victory in Asia since 2014, having failed to win in 14 trips to the continent since beating Sri Lanka in Galle a decade ago.

Markram, however, believes there is more to come from their youthful side, hailing the victory as a major breakthrough.

"It's special. We're a pretty young, slightly inexperienced group, so to come to the subcontinent and get a win is great for us and the environment," Markam said.

"This win does a lot for us and gives us a taste of what playing cricket in the subcontinent is like, and it excites us for the challenges that we possibly face here.

"The biggest thing we take from it is the belief and the confidence that we actually can do well here as a team.

"I believe that's where a lot of the game is played, from a confidence and belief and a mental side of things. It will help the team a lot as far as moving forward goes, seeing if we can put back-to-back performances together."

Bangladesh were always playing catch-up after a dismal first innings with the bat, with only a second-innings score of 97 from Mehidy Hasan Miraz forcing South Africa to bat for a second time.

"Everything was in our favour as we won the toss and decided to bat first," Mehidy said. "It is hard to bat on the fourth day on this wicket so we prepared ourselves in that way. 

"We couldn't score runs, unfortunately. If we could have scored our second innings runs in the first... First innings runs are very important in Test cricket."

John Campbell has been named to lead the Jamaica Scorpions franchise in the upcoming CG United Super50 Cup scheduled to be played in Trinidad and Tobago from October 29 to November 23.

Campbell, who has played 20 Test matches for the West Indies, had been banned for four years by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) in late 2022 for failing to provide a testing sample to doping control officers in April of that year.

The ban was later reduced by two years and two months after he brought his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Discarded West Indies batsman Kirk McKenzie has been named vice-captain in the 14-man Scorpions squad, which includes 18-year-old West Indies and Jamaica U-19 leg-spinner Tamarie Redwood.

Also included in the squad are former captain Jermaine Blackwood and West Indies T20 player Odean Smith.

West Indies Under-19 batsman Jordan Johnson has been named among four reserves.

The Scorpions open their tournament against the Barbados Pride at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on October 30.

Jamaica failed to record a win at last year's Suner50 Cup, recording six losses and one no result in their seven games.

Full Squad: John Campbell (captain), Kirk McKenzie (vice-captain), Odane McCatty, Carlos Brown, Jermaine Blackwood, Javelle Glenn, Romaine Morris (wicketkeeper), Brad Barnes, Odean Smith, Jeavor Royal, Tamarie Redwood, Ojay Shields, Gordon Bryan, Marquino Mindley

Reserves: Jordan Johnson, Peat Salmon, Daniel Beckford (wicketkeeper), Andre A. McCarthy

England battled back to finish strongly against Pakistan after an early collapse with the bat on day one of the third Test.

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.

Washington Sundar made his mark on his return to the side, posting a seven-wicket haul to frustrate New Zealand on day one of the second Test.

India look to have quickly put last week's defeat behind them as they made a statement with a strong start.

Ravichandran Ashwin took the first three wickets (3-64), though Devon Conway's knock of 76 had already pushed the tourists to 138-3 before Sundar (7-59) stepped up to the plate.

Rachin Ravindra's 65 almost got them over the 200 mark, before he was bowled by Sundar, who then proceeded to take the next six wickets, with only Daryl Mitchell (18) and Mitchell Santner (33) hitting double figures as New Zealand were limited to 259 inside 80 overs.

However, India's day at the bat did not get off to a good start as Rohit Sharma was dismissed for a duck.

They reached stumps at 16-1, and Yashasvi Jaiswal (6 not out) and Shubman Gill (10 not out) will be hoping to kick on when they resume play on Friday.

Data Debrief: Washington in charge

Sundar was not even a part of India's Test squad three days ago, but the choice to bring him in has proven inspired.

It was his maiden Test five-for, and his best figures in first-class cricket, as he dismissed the last of New Zealand's batters within 20 overs.

Meanwhile, Jaiswal only needs to get 17 more runs on day two to become just the second batter to reach 1,000 runs in men's Tests in 2024 after Joe Root (1,300 runs).

South Africa eased to their first Test victory in Asia since 2014, with Kagiso Rabada's quick start helping them to a seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh on day four.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz had given the hosts hope of a comeback after an inspired performance on Wednesday, but South Africa made light work of the chase to take the lead in the two-match series.

It took just 4.5 overs for them to bowl out Bangladesh for 307, as Rabada (6-46) took Nayeem Hasan (16) on just the third ball of the day.

Taijul Islam (7) helped bring up 300, but the innings was over soon after as he was caught by Tristan Stubbs before Mehidy fell just short of his century at Rabada’s hands.

It took South Africa just 22 overs to hit their target of 106, though Taijul (3-43) tried in vain to keep Bangladesh's hopes alive.

Tony de Zorzi's stand of 41 did most of the damage, helped by Aiden Markram (20), David Bedingham (12) and Stubbs (30 not out), and wrapping the game up before lunch.

Data Debrief: Rabada keeps South Africa's hopes alive

South Africa have moved up to fourth in the World Test Championship table with this win, and have put themselves in a strong position for a final spot.

It was their first victory in Asia in a decade, having failed to win any of their previous 14 trips to the continent since beating Sri Lanka in Galle and losing their last nine. 

The bowlers impressed for both sides. Rabada finished the match 9-72 overall, his 15th five-wicket haul in a Test, while Taijul's attempts to keep Bangladesh in it saw him take eight wickets overall.

West Indies suffered a series-defining loss in the second One-day International (ODI) against Sri Lanka, as they again went down by five wickets in Pallekele on Wednesday.

The defeat, which resulted from another disappointing batting performance, saw Sri Lanka taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, leaving the Caribbean side with mere hopes of salvaging pride in the final game on Saturday.

After a dismal batting collapse that saw the West Indies at a shocking 58-8 in the rain-affected contest, which was reduced to 44 overs per team, it was an historic ninth-wicket partnership between Sherfane Rutherford (80) and Gudakesh Motie (50 not out) that added a glimmer of respectability to their total.

The pair put together 119 runs, the highest-ever ninth-wicket stand in West Indies' ODI history, with Rutherford smashing four sixes and seven fours in his 82-ball knock, while Motie’s maiden ODI half-century came off 61 balls and included six boundaries, as they lifted the side to 189.

However, the damage had already been done by Sri Lanka’s disciplined bowling attack led by spinners Wanindu Hasaranga (4-40) and Maheesh Theekshana (3-25). Seamer Asitha Fernando had 3-35. Their batting unit led by an unbeaten 62 from captain Charith Asalanka then surpassed their target with some degree of comfort.

Scores: West Indies 189 (36 overs); Sri Lanka 190-5 (38.2 overs)

After being asked to take first strike, the West Indies’ top and middle order, with the exception of Rutherford, again failed miserably, as they crumbled under the pressure of Sri Lanka’s spin-heavy assault. In fact, besides Rutherford and Motie, opener Brandon King (16) was the only other batsman in double figures, which tells the tale of the alarming regularity in which the wickets fell.

By the 16th over, the Caribbean side had lost eight wickets for just 58 runs, with no batsman managing to stabilize the innings. However, in what seemed like a foregone conclusion, Rutherford and Motie showed resilience and defiance and gave the team a fighting chance, but their efforts were ultimately too little, too late.

West Indies bowlers initially showed some promise, as vice captain Alzarri Joseph (2-30) and Motie (1-18) picked up early wickets, but Sri Lanka's steady chase, led by Asalanka, ensured there would be no upset.

Asalanka, who struck seven fours and a solitary six in his 61-ball knock, anchored the innings with the assistance of Sadeera Samarawickrama (38) and Janith Liyanage (24), after Nishan Madushka (38) earlier got things going.

West Indies captain Shai Hope expressed disappointment with the team’s performance, particularly with the batting, as they are now left to play for pride in the third and final ODI.

“I really don't like to focus on things we can't control. Today it was disappointing. We just need to get through the powerplay and negate the spin threat. We needed to limit the dot balls so hopefully we can play better in the last game. We are not putting enough revs on the ball, bowling quickly as well, and so we need to take lessons from Sri Lanka’s spinners,” Hope said in a post-game interview.

 “We didn’t put enough runs on the board, and that’s been the story for us in this series. We’ve got to do better in the third game.”

The much-anticipated inaugural Global Super League (GSL) is set to take place in Guyana from November 26 to December 7, 2024, with five powerhouse teams from across the globe competing for a lucrative US$1 million prize. The tournament will be held at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence and promises to deliver exciting T20 cricket action.

The competing teams include representatives from the West Indies, Pakistan, Australia, England, and Bangladesh. Leading the local charge will be the Guyana Amazon Warriors, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise that is expected to bring a strong contingent of players to the competition. They will be joined by the Lahore Qalandars from Pakistan, Victoria from Australia, Hampshire Hawks from England, and Rangpur Riders from Bangladesh.

Each team will play a round-robin format, facing off against every other team, with the top two teams advancing to the final on December 7. The tournament will span 11 matches over the course of two weeks, with all games scheduled to be played under lights at the Providence stadium, providing prime-time entertainment for fans.

The action kicks off on Tuesday, November 26, when the home favorites, Guyana Amazon Warriors, take on Lahore Qalandars in the tournament’s opening fixture at 7 pm. The following day, Hampshire Hawks will face Rangpur Riders in what promises to be a thrilling contest between two strong cricketing nations.

On Friday, November 29, the Amazon Warriors will return to the field for a highly anticipated clash against Victoria, one of Australia’s premier teams, while Saturday, November 30, will feature a doubleheader with Hampshire Hawks going head-to-head with the Lahore Qalandars in the morning fixture.

The action continues into December, with Sunday, December 1, offering a thrilling day of cricket. In the morning, the Rangpur Riders will face Victoria, followed by a night game featuring the Guyana Amazon Warriors against Hampshire Hawks, a match that promises to draw huge interest from local and international fans alike.

The competition heats up on Tuesday, December 3, as Victoria takes on Lahore Qalandars, followed by a clash between Guyana Amazon Warriors and Rangpur Riders on Wednesday, December 4. The final round of group-stage fixtures will take place on Thursday, December 5, when the Lahore Qalandars square off against the Rangpur Riders, and Friday, December 6, when Hampshire Hawks meet Victoria.

The two teams with the highest points at the end of the group stage will battle it out in the final on Saturday, December 7, at 7 pm, with the winner walking away as the inaugural GSL champions and claiming the largest share of the US$1 million prize fund.

With top-tier talent from across the globe, including players from the Caribbean, Australia, England, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, the Global Super League promises to be one of the most exciting new T20 competitions in the cricketing calendar. The tournament will not only showcase international cricketing stars but also provide a platform for emerging talent to shine on the global stage.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz's 87 not out helped Bangladesh produce a stunning comeback on the third day of the first Test against South Africa at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

Bangladesh's revival was halted an hour before the scheduled end of the day due to bad light, but they now lead by 81 runs after conceding a 202-run lead in the first innings. 

The Proteas looked set to earn an innings victory at a canter when Mahmudul Hasan Joy (40) and Mushfiqur Rahim (33) were removed by Kagiso Rabada in quick succession.

Litton Das (7) was caught behind off Keshav Maharaj (3-105) shortly afterwards as Bangladesh slipped to 112-6 heading into the 35th over. 

But Mehidy and Jaker Ali (58) helped the hosts to within one of South Africa's lead at lunch before the second session was stopped for 78 minutes due to heavy rain in Mirpur. 

Jaker struck his maiden Test half-century before the delay in play before falling to Maharaj, but Mehidy and Nayeem Hasan (16 not out) remained calm at the crease as Bangladesh ended the day 283-7. 

Data Debrief: Mehidy masterclass

Bangladesh have lost five of their last seven men's Tests (W2), including losing each of the last two on the bounce, but Mehidy's knock has them in contention in Mirpur. 

Mehidy's 87 saw him register his ninth Test half-century and his fourth this year, smashing nine fours and one six during his 194-minute spell at the crease on Wednesday. 

West Indies captain Shai Hope has made it clear that his team will approach the second ODI contest against Sri Lanka as a must-win, treating it like a final in order to keep their hopes of topping the three-match series alive.

After suffering a five-wicket defeat in a rain-affected opening encounter, the West Indies are trailing 1-0, making Wednesday’s clash a decisive one, especially as they hunt ranking points to move up the leaderboard in the format.

Hope, who will be tasked with playing a steadying role in the middle order should his top-order fail, acknowledged the disappointment of losing the first game but believes that the Caribbean side can bounce back with a stronger, more cohesive performance.

First ball is 4:00am Jamaica time, 5:00am in the Eastern Caribbean.

“We did some drawing board prep; we know exactly what's in front of us and so we have to play the next game like a final. We see where we are in terms of the rankings on the world stage and we have to find ways to get better and improve quickly,” Hope said in a pre-game interview.

“Having said that, we've got to make sure we take each game at a time, and seeing what happened in the previous game, we've got to look at the learnings that we can find there and understand how we need to improve in terms of our bowling and batting. So I think we got our work cut out; the conversations that we've had over the last 48 hours or so have been pretty good, and I think that we're in good headspace to bounce back,” he added.

The West Indies fell short in the first game, largely due to lapses in the bowling department, as Sri Lanka was set a revised total of 232 based on the Duckworth Lewis method.

Despite a promising start in which they snared three wickets in the PowerPlay, they were unable to see off the game, and Sri Lanka chased down their target comfortably. Only Gudakesh Motie (3-47) and Alzarri Joseph (2-39) showed little fight with the ball.

With that in mind, Hope pointed to the need for more consistency from his players, particularly in capitalizing on strong starts and finishing innings with authority.

“Challenging conditions are all part of the game. We would have hoped that the rain didn't come in to play a factor, but having said that, we've got to find ways to negate that. We can't focus too much on things we can't control... we definitely can't control the weather, so we've got to find ways to bowl with the wet ball if we have to do it again in the next game,” Hope stated.

“I just think our lines and lengths have to be better depending on whichever surface you're playing on. I think regardless of if it's wet or not, we got to make sure our lines and lengths are a lot better as a bowling group and then when we're batting, I think we need to show a bit more intent. So I think those are the key areas that we need to focus on going into the next game,” he declared.

Knowing very well that the series is on the line, Hope is urging his teammates to step up and deliver a performance that showcases their potential, even more so to take the Sri Lankan spinners out of their comfort zones.

“Obviously, we got to look at the PowerPlay. We need to see how we are going to attack the Powerplay and then how we are going to attack their spinners to put them under pressure in some way. If we’ve got to play different shots, if we’ve got to look at different scoring areas, push a little bit harder to make them think,” Hope reasoned.

“If we just allow them to set and bowl, then they're going to be all over us. So as a team, as a batting group, we've got to ensure we put a lot more pressure on their bowlers so we can give ourselves the best chance to get big scores on the board,” he ended.

Ben Stokes insists his fitness issues are improving as he looks to play a greater role with the ball on a pitch that has drawn much attention ahead of England's third Test against Pakistan.

The England captain managed just 10 overs in the second Test defeat to Pakistan in Multan, in what was his first appearance in over two months after a troublesome hamstring issue.

Rawalpindi will host the series decider between the two nations, with England expecting lateral movement after recalling Rehan Ahmed, alongside fellow spinners Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir.

Gus Atkinson also returns for the tourists ahead of Thursday's Test, forming a two-man seam attack with Stokes, who expects to feature more from a bowling aspect.

"It was good to get through it," said Stokes of the second Test. "I have put myself through my paces at training, bowled two spells.

"Coming in and being one of only two seamers, I'm fully confident that I'll be able to get more out of myself this week than I did last week."

Pakistan opted to reuse the same pitch in Multan for the second Test after England eased to victory in a run-laden opening meeting.

However, home spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan shared all 20 wickets as Pakistan levelled the three-match series, with the hosts' captain Shan Masood calling for further turn in Rawalpindi.

Pictures emerged this week of heaters, fans and windbreakers on the pitch, seemingly to appease Masood's request, though Stokes had no issues with the ground work.

"I've never been a groundsman, but you'd think a rake would assist the spin," said Stokes. "We can have a good guess which ends the Pakistan spinners will operate from.

"There's not too much grass to hold everything together. It will be interesting to see how it goes. It will be a pretty good wicket for the first couple of days, at least."

Spin will be no problem, too, considering the selection of Leach, Bashir and young leg-spinner Ahmed, who claimed a five-wicket haul on his Test debut in Pakistan in 2022.

"Leg-spinners have an amazing ability to break a game open," added Stokes. "Having his batting ability lower down the order is also a massive bonus.

"The way Leach and Bashir have bowled has been fantastic in these first two Tests. Adding Rehan's free spirit and desperation to change the game every time he's got the ball in his hand is a massive bonus for us this week."