Edgbaston Testi'nde Pakistan Üç Debutantla Sahada

Pakistan field three debutants as England win toss and bowl first in Edgbaston Test

Pakistan will try to salvage something from the wreckage of a woeful tour of England as they field three debutants in the third and final Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday. England won the toss and elected to bowl first, with Pakistan making four changes to the side that suffered a 194-run defeat at Lord’s and went 2-0 down in the three-Test series. Domestic cricket veteran and pace all-rounder Imran Randhawa, upcoming fast bowler Razaullah and wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori were handed Test debuts, while opener Saim Ayub returned to the Test side for the first time since 2025. The changes come after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took the extraordinary step of sending seven players home and calling up another seven following the defeat at Lord’s. Five of the replacements were uncapped at Test level. The PCB also sacked Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, replacing them with Pakistan’s white-ball coaches Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke. Salman Ali Agha — Pakistan’s captain at Headingley when Babar Azam was injured — and left-arm spinner Ali Usman, who took a five-wicket haul in that match, were among those sent home. Experienced wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and opener Imam-ul-Haq were also omitted, with Imam having failed to bat in either innings at Lord’s because of a calf injury. Pakistan had already surrendered the series in emphatic fashion after suffering an innings defeat in the opening Test at Headingley before losing the second match by 194 runs at Lord’s. The scale of the changes means Pakistan will now take the field with a significantly inexperienced side, although Randhawa brings considerable domestic experience to the line-up with 58 first-class appearances to his name. Razaullah, by contrast, has played only eight first-class matches, while Ghori has spent the last couple of years in the Pakistan Shaheens and youth systems. He has also represented Pakistan in One-day Internationals. Pakistan’s attack comprises three specialist fast bowlers and Randhawa as the pace-bowling all-rounder, while Saim can provide an additional option with his mystery finger-spin. The changes are the latest chapter in a turbulent week for Pakistan cricket, which has been marked by sweeping personnel changes following a tour in which the team have struggled for both runs and wickets. Speaking after the toss, captain Babar Azam appeared unfazed by the upheaval surrounding the team and said it had not been difficult for the players to move on from the events of the past week. “It wasn’t difficult,” Babar said, adding that the Test presented an opportunity for the players to showcase their mettle. Pakistan will therefore be looking to avoid a series whitewash and finish a dismal tour on a positive note. Their task, however, is formidable against an England side that has retained the same XI for the third Test after dominating the opening two matches. England’s decision to bowl first gives their pace attack the chance to exploit any movement available early in the innings, while Pakistan will hope their revamped batting line-up can withstand the initial examination. The hosts, meanwhile, will be seeking to maintain the winning combination that has put them in complete control of the series. For Pakistan, the Edgbaston Test is less about the outcome of a series that has already slipped away and more about what they can build from a dramatic reset that has left a number of new faces with an unexpected opportunity at Test level. Playing XI: ENGLAND: Emilio Gay, Ben Duckett, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (captain), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wicket-keeper), Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue. PAKISTAN: Azan Awais, Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (captain), Saud Shakeel, Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Razaullah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Abbas.