England wins toss and chooses to bat first against Pakistan in the 3rd test

The slow bowlers were prepared to take center stage, as ground staff went to great lengths to create a dry wicket by using giant-sized industrial fans and outdoor heaters. This was a strategic move to counter England's aggressive batting style and give the bowlers an advantage.

The expected slow pitch has encouraged England to include Rehan Ahmed as third specialist spinner along with left-arm spinner Jack Leach and off-spinner Shoaib Bashir.

“At the moment it looks a very good wicket,” captain Ben Stokes said after England won its first toss in the last eight test matches. “It's another challenge we've been presented with, but we have to wait and see .”

Ahmed, who hasn’t played an international match since February, is one of the two changes England made from the side which lost the second test by 152 runs on a recycled wicket in Multan as Pakistan won its first home test since 2021 and leveled the series 1-1.

Ahmed replaced fast bowler fast bowler Matthew Potts while pace bowler Brydon Carse was rested and Gus Atkinson returns after featuring in England’s memorable innings and 47-run win in the first test.

Pakistan retained the same playing XI which earned captain Shan Masood his first win after losing six in a row since his elevation as red-ball skipper. Off-spinner Sajid Khan and left-arm spinner Noman Ali claimed all 20 wickets to nullify England batters and Pakistan also retained leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood, who bowled only six overs in the second test.

“We’ve always talked about consistency and we like to back players,” Masood said.

Masood, who had hoped for a spinner-friendly wicket for the series decider, wasn't sure how the wicket will behave.

“We like to believe we have to play good cricket,” he said. “The most important thing is to see the situation and respond to the situation ... preparations are a bit different until both teams bat we’ll keep our opinions to ourselves.”

Lineups:

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood , Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Rizwan, Aamer Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood.

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes , Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.

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