Pakistan’s heavy defeat to England in the Lord’s Test is likely to prompt the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to call up six players, including Saim Ayub, to join the squad in Britain. England defeated Pakistan by 194 runs in the second Test at Lord’s, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
England posted 290 in their first innings, while Pakistan were bowled out for just 110. Set a target of 389 in the second innings, Pakistan’s batting line-up once again struggled, with the team eventually dismissed for 194 runs short of the target. Saud Shakeel missed out on a century after being dismissed for 97.
According to media reports, young openers Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, all-rounder Arafat Minhas, wicketkeeper-batter Rohail Nazir, and fast bowlers Mohammad Imran Jr and Razaullah are expected to join the squad following Pakistan’s series defeat. The potential squad changes come after the PCB reportedly decided to send wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and opener Imam-ul-Haq back to Pakistan.
Rizwan faced criticism for his poor performances in both the Leeds and Lord’s Tests, being dismissed while attempting aggressive shots in each match. Pakistan will now aim to avoid a series whitewash in the third and final Test against England at Edgbaston, scheduled to be played from September 9 to 13.
It is worth mentioning here that even the former England captain Michael Vaughan has slammed Pakistan’s batting line-up, comparing it to second-rate county cricket. Speaking on BBC Test Match Special, the 51-year-old Vaughan said England’s bowlers were facing little challenge from Pakistan’s batsmen and described the current Pakistani batting line-up as one of the easiest he had seen in a long time.
Vaughan said England’s bowlers know there are wickets to be taken in Pakistan’s batting order, which has made every bowler eager to attack and take wickets. He added that Pakistan’s batsmen posed little threat to the English bowling attack.
He further said England’s bowlers were confident that Pakistan would not post a big total, allowing them to maintain an aggressive approach throughout their spells. According to Vaughan, the bowlers were even encouraging captain Joe Root to bowl more overs. Vaughan praised England’s bowling attack, saying the bowlers were performing exceptionally well and that, if they continued to bowl in the same manner, they could trouble even the strongest batting line-ups.
Read more: Michael Vaughan questions Pakistan’s test batting after England bowlers dominate