Web Desk: England won the toss and elected to bowl first against Pakistan in the final Test of the three-match series at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Wednesday.
The hosts enter the match with a commanding 2-0 lead in the series, leaving Pakistan with one final opportunity to avoid a clean sweep and end the contest on a positive note.
Pakistan have finalized a 12-player pool for the series finale, with several newcomers in contention for their Test debuts.
The team, led by Babar Azam, could hand Test caps to as many as three players as it seeks to reshuffle its lineup for the final match.
Among the leading candidates is 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Ghazi Ghori from Karachi, whose inclusion would mark his first appearance in Test cricket.
All-rounder Muhammad Imran Randhawa is also in contention. The 29-year-old Khanewal player has built a strong first-class record, scoring 2,255 runs, including two centuries, in 58 matches. He has also taken 110 wickets with his medium-fast bowling.
Pakistan could also introduce another young player if it opts for a four-man pace attack.
Mardan-born fast bowler Razaullah, 21, is among the candidates for a debut. The right-arm pacer made his first-class debut for Peshawar in 2025 and has claimed 30 wickets in eight matches.
His inclusion would give Pakistan another pace option as the visitors attempt to challenge England’s batting lineup in conditions expected to offer assistance to fast bowlers.
If Pakistan chooses to field only one specialist spinner, 21-year-old left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas is considered a strong candidate.
Minhas has already represented Pakistan in limited-overs cricket, featuring in three one-day internationals and four Twenty20 internationals. A Test debut at Edgbaston would represent another step in his international career.
Pakistan’s 12-player group for the final Test includes Saim Ayub, Azan Owais, Abdullah Shafique, captain Babar Azam, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, Ghazi Ghori, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran Randhawa, Arafat Minhas and Razaullah.
The final XI will depend on Pakistan’s balance between pace and spin, as well as its decision on how many debutants to introduce.
England, meanwhile, have already secured the three-match series after winning the opening two Tests.
By choosing to field after winning the toss, the hosts have handed Pakistan the opportunity to set the initial target at Edgbaston. Pakistan will now look to make the most of its first innings and build enough pressure to force England into a difficult chase later in the match.
With the series already decided, attention will also be on Pakistan’s emerging players and whether the visitors can produce a strong response in the final Test.
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