Babar Returns as Pakistan Bowl First Against England at Lord’s
Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl first against England in the second Test at Lord’s on Thursday, with captain Babar Azam returning to the side for a crucial match in the three-Test series. The tourists entered the contest trailing 1-0 after suffering a heavy innings-and-103-run defeat in the opening Test at Headingley.
The start at Lord’s was affected by rain, adding another tactical consideration for both teams before play began. Babar opted to put England in, pointing to conditions and the grass on the surface as Pakistan looked to give their pace attack an early opportunity against the hosts. England captain Joe Root indicated that he also would have preferred to bowl first given the appearance of the pitch.
Babar’s return was the major development for Pakistan after he missed the first Test because of a finger injury aggravated during the build-up to the series. Ahead of the Lord’s match, he had said he was close to full fitness, and at the toss he declared himself ready to play. His comeback strengthens a batting order that struggled badly at Headingley and also restores him to the captaincy.
Pakistan made the change by bringing Babar back into the XI while Salman Ali Agha, who had led the team in the series opener, was left out. The tourists selected Imam-ul-Haq, Azan Awais, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Abbas for the match.
England retained the combination that dominated the first Test. Their XI consists of Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue. The hosts entered Lord’s with the opportunity to secure the series by taking an unassailable 2-0 lead.
The match carries added significance for Pakistan because of their strong recent Test record in London. Pakistan won at Lord’s in both 2016 and 2018 and also defeated England at The Oval in 2016, giving the visitors positive memories in the capital despite their difficult start to the current tour. Overall, England and Pakistan have met 93 times in Test cricket, with England winning 31 matches, Pakistan 23 and 39 ending in draws.
Pakistan’s immediate challenge is to exploit the early bowling conditions and avoid allowing England to build the commanding first-innings platform that shaped the Headingley result. The return of Babar also places renewed attention on Pakistan’s batting response after the tourists were dismissed cheaply in both innings of the first Test.
The second Test is scheduled to run through August 31 at Lord’s. Pakistan need a victory to level the series and keep their hopes alive heading into the final Test, while an England win would settle the contest with a match to spare. With Babar back, rain influencing the opening conditions and Pakistan choosing to attack first with the ball, the Lord’s Test has quickly become one of the day’s biggest stories for Pakistani cricket followers.