PORT OF SPAIN: Pakistan captain Babar Azam has achieved a major milestone after leading the national team to victory over the West Indies in the second Test, becoming the captain with the best overseas win percentage in Test cricket.
This win came after an extended period of three years and eight Test matches without a victory away from home. The last time Pakistan won a Test match away from home was in July 2023, when Babar again led the side and won against Sri Lanka.
As a captain of Pakistan, Babar has played twelve Test matches in overseas countries and has won nine out of them. This gives him a winning record of 75 percent which is the best win record among Test captains worldwide.
Babar was also the highest run-scorer in this series with 193 runs which helped him secure a joint Player of the Series award with the all-rounder of West Indies, Justin Greaves.
This feat was Babar Azam’s tenth Player of the Series award in international cricket, bringing him at par with Pakistani legends Imran Khan and Wasim Akram.
It was Babar’s first Player of the Series award in Test cricket and his 10th overall. Before this, he had won the honour five times in T20 internationals and four times in ODIs.
Imran Khan, former skipper of the Pakistan team, is the record holder of ten Player of the Series awards, comprising eight in test matches and two in ODIs, whereas Wasim Akram holds the same record but for ten times, comprising seven in test matches and three in ODIs.
Joe Root Era Begins as England Announce Squad for Pakistan Test Series
Meanwhile, England have announced a 16-member squad for the opening two matches of their three-match Test series against Pakistan, with Joe Root set to lead the side as permanent Test captain for the first time following Ben Stokes’ retirement.
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has named the squad for the series which starts from August 19, with the first Test to be held at Headingley.
The squad features the likes of Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope and Sam Cook along with a youngster Jordan Cox, who has made a comeback to the team and has been given the important number three batting slot. This has been done because Jacob Bethell has been sidelined from the whole Pakistan series due to his knee injury.
Marcus North, a member of the selection panel of England, explained that the team has been chosen keeping in mind the fact that the Pakistan team is a tough one to play against.
Lawrence will play at number six in the side and will also serve the purpose of spinning the ball around. England can choose a combination having four fast bowlers.
Spinner Shoaib Bashir has retained his place in the squad, while the pace attack features Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Fisher, Ollie Robinson, Brydon Carse and Sam Cook. Carse returns to the Test setup after recovering from injury.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has already selected a squad of 16 players for the tours to the West Indies and England.
The Pakistan team will comprise Babar Azam, Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Owais Zafar, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah.
The tour of Pakistan to England will consist of three Test matches starting from August 19.
