England tour of Pakistan: Liam Livingstone to make Test debut in Rawalpindi

Eng vs Pak Test Match: All-rounder Liam Livingstone will make his Test debut for England in their first Test against Pakistan on Thursday.

  • Liam Livingstone will make his Test debut for England
  • Ben Duckett returns for England for the first time since 2016
  • Rawalpindi Test will be England’s first in Pakistan since 2005

England all-rounder Liam Livingstone will make his Test debut against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Thursday. As England named their team for the first match of the three-Test series. Nottinghamshire batter Ben Duckett returns for England for the first time since 2016 and will open the batting with Kent County’s Zak Crawley.

The Rawalpindi Test will be England’s first in Pakistan since 2005. International teams have largely avoided the country since an attack by Islamist militants on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009 killed six policemen and two civilians.

Head coach Brendon McCullum quotes;

“He bowls off-spin, leg-spin, fields well and smacks the ball out of the park – it’s hard not to get around a player who plays like that,”

Eventually, the call was between him and Surrey’s batting all-rounder Will Jacks, who is an off-spinner. Livingstone got the spot in the playing XI on account of offering both wrist and finger spin.

Ben Stokes  on the debut of Livingstone: PAK vs ENG

“The only real discussion we thought was worth having was whether we go with Jacksy or Livi (Livingstone). I think given the place where Livi’s going to play and as that third spinner role, it’s quite nice to have someone who turns it both ways. And quite nice the way he applies himself with the bat – very similar to Jacksy, but having that leg spin and off spin possibility with Livi was a big plus for us,”

With Livi he’s one of those cricketers who can come on from anywhere and take a wicket when the ball’s flowing a bit the opposition’s way. I’ve already spoken to Rooty as well. I’m going to try to use him quite a lot. I think he underuses himself. He’s actually got some very good assets as an off-spin bowler. He’s been working very hard on his bowling.

England tour of Pakistan Test Series: Eng vs Pak Test Match

Pakistan Playing 11

Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan, Agha Salman/Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Nawaz/Faheem Ashraf. Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Mohammad Ali, Haris Rauf

England Playing 11

Keaton Jennings, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Ben Stokes (C), Harry Brook/Liam Livingstone, Ben Foakes (wk),Ollie Robinson. Jack Leach, James Anderson, Jamie Overton/Rehan Ahmed