England have announced a 15-member squad for the third and final Test against Pakistan, with Sonny Baker retaining his place while Matthew Fisher misses out.
England have already sealed the three-match series with a 2-0 lead. The hosts will now aim for a clean sweep when the final Test starts at Edgbaston in Birmingham on September 9.
England Look to Complete Series Sweep
England dominated the opening Test at Headingley, winning by an innings and 103 runs. They followed that performance with another strong display at Lord’s. The hosts beat Pakistan by 194 runs to secure the series with one match still to play.
Baker remains part of the squad after joining the group for the second Test. Fisher, however, has been left out of the 15-man squad for the Edgbaston match.
The two victories have also improved England’s position in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) standings. Their win at Lord’s moved them above Sri Lanka and into sixth place in the current cycle.
Pakistan remain at the bottom of the WTC table. They will now try to finish the tour on a positive note by securing a consolation win in Birmingham.
Pakistan Make Major Changes
Pakistan have made several changes after their heavy defeats in the first two Tests. The Pakistan Cricket Board sent seven players home following the Lord’s match.
Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul also left their positions. The PCB has since added seven replacements to the squad.
White-ball head coach Mike Hesson will take charge of the Test side for the remainder of the series. Pakistan will hope the changes can produce a stronger performance in the final match.
England Squad for Third Test
England’s 15-member squad for the third Test is:
Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith and Josh Tongue.
