3 Players Who Can Decide Pakistan's Fate In Upcoming Series Vs England

Rizwan will be a key player for Pakistan [Source: @shamraizra143/X.Com] Rizwan will be a key player for Pakistan [Source: @shamraizra143/X.Com]

After months of buildup, the time has finally arrived as Pakistan are set to take on England in the first Test of the 3-match series, starting in Multan. Both the sides have announced their playing XIs and both will look to get the better of each other in this riveting contest.

Compared to England, Pakistan will be under pressure. They haven't won a single Test match since July 2023, and recently were humbled by Bangladesh, 2-0 in their own backyard. Their players are also undercooked, but Pakistan do have the firepower to punch above their weight. In this piece, we look at 3 Pakistan players who can decide the fate of the series.

3) Shaheen Afridi

The Eagle, as they call him in Pakistan, has lost serious pace in the last couple of years and looks a pale shadow of himself. However, the England series provides a great chance for Shaheen to resurrect himself.

He played just one Test against Bangladesh, and after a dismal performance was dropped from the second game. Shaheen, will be looking to prove his critics wrong as he gears up for a tough challenge. His spell up-front against the likes of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett will be crucial. If he gets the early wickets, he can turn the tides in Pakistan's favour.

2) Mohammad Rizwan

The possible future captain of Pakistan's white-ball side, Mohammad Rizwan is arguably their best Test batter at the moment. He proved his worth in the Bangladesh series, where he single-handedly took the attack to the opposition and slammed a brilliant century in first Test.

In the last one year, the Pakistan openers haven't delivered the goods, and thus, the pressure comes down to the middle-order, led by Rizwan. The Pakistan keeper has always passed with flying colours, and he can be the one who can change the course of a Test match in the blink of an eye.

1) Babar Azam

The King of Pakistan cricket, Babar Azam has had a woeful 2024 across formats. He failed in the Australia series Down Under, failed in the T20 World Cup and couldn't do much in the Bangladesh Tests.

So much so, that Babar could only 64 runs in 4 innings and slipped below the top-10 in the ICC Test batters' rankings. He recently stepped down as the white-ball captain of Pakistan, and that should be a blessing in disguise for Pakistan, as Babar can now solely focus on his batting and win Test matches Vs England.