England Win Toss, Elect to Bowl Against Pakistan in Rawalpindi ODI Tri-Series

RAWALPINDI: England captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to bowl first against Pakistan in the opening One-day International of the tri-series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Pakistan entered the match after securing a 37-run victory over Sri Lanka in their opening fixture. The hosts are aiming to strengthen their position in the competition and secure a place in the final scheduled for October 31.

Dew played a significant role in England’s decision to field first. Brook said the conditions could favour his side during the chase, as heavy dew had affected Pakistan’s previous match against Sri Lanka.

Pakistan’s bowlers faced a challenging second innings in that fixture. However, a late collapse by Sri Lanka allowed the hosts to secure the win.

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Pakistan posted 305 runs against Sri Lanka, with Salman Ali Agha making a major contribution. His consistent performances in ODIs have continued to strengthen his position in the batting line-up.

Former captain Babar Azam also showed encouraging signs of form. He shared a 74-run partnership with debutant wicketkeeper Saad Baig, giving Pakistan further positives ahead of the England contest.

However, openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub fell early against Sri Lanka. Both will be looking to provide a stronger start against England.

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Pakistan have retained an unchanged playing XI for the match, keeping faith in the side that defeated Sri Lanka.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha, Hasan Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah.

England: Tom Banton, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (captain), Jordan Cox (wicketkeeper), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Adil Rashid, Sonny Baker.