ZCZC
BSP-11
CRICKET-ENG-PAK-TOSS-TEAM
Pakistan bat against England in 2nd Test
LEEDS, United Kingdom, June 1, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and elected to bat against England in the second Test at Headingley on Friday.
England saw Ben Stokes ruled out on the morning of the match with a torn left hamstring. The all-rounder was replaced by 19-year-old debutant seamer Sam Curran.
They made two other changes to the team that suffered a nine-wicket thrashing by Pakistan inside four days in the first Test at Lord’s.
Keaton Jennings replaced struggling opening batsman Mark Stoneman and pace bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes came in for dropped fast bowler Mark Wood.
Pakistan were forced into making one change, with middle-order batsman Usman Salahuddin given a Test debut after Babar Azam suffered a broken arm while facing Stokes at Lord’s.
If Pakistan avoid defeat, they will win their first Test series in England since 1996.
England, who have lost six of their last eight Tests, are looking to avoid a third straight series loss after reverses in Australia and New Zealand.
Teams
England: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root (capt), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow (wkt), Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Dominic Bess, Sam Curran, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
Pakistan: Azhar Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Usman Salahuddin, Sarfraz Ahmed (capt/wkt), Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas
Umpires: Rod Tucker (AUS), Bruce Oxenford (AUS)
TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)
BSS/AFP/MMA/1610HRS