The ECB has added Rehan Ahmed and Gus Atkinson to England’s playing 11 for the third Pakistan test starting on October 24 at Rawalpindi.
They will be replacing fast bowlers Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts. Ahmed who played his last test for England against India has been sidelined for the entire summer.
Making his test debut in December 2022, he picked five wickets in the third innings to help his side complete a 3-0 whitewash over the hosts, which was their first-ever clean sweep at home in the format.
🔒Locked in: Our XI for the final Test pic.twitter.com/RNn82j4ZD4
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 22, 2024
Ahmed has picked 18 wickets to date in four tests at 34.50. He will be joining Jack Leach, the leading wicket-taker in the series with 14 wickets and Shoaib Bashir.
Atkinson played a huge role in England’s win over Pakistan by taking the first test by taking four wickets for 136 runs. He was instrumental in making destruction in the batting lineup in the evening session on the fourth day to leave Pakistan for 41/3.
Atkinson’s ability to bowl in high 140 kphs will certainly Test Pakistan. Ben Stokes has returned to cricket after nine weeks in the last test and bowled 10 overs which were equally split across Pakistan’s two innings.
Pakistan have taken drastic measures over the last three days to make the Rawalpindi surface, which favoured seamers more than spinners.
England has maintained the 5th position while Pakistan moved to the eighth position on the WTC points table.
This has made England bring in Rehan Ahmed and Gus Atkinson to the playing 11 for the third test. The third match of the England-Pakistan tour will begin on October 24 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
England’s Playing 11 for Third Pakistan Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.
