Will Babar Azam play 2nd ENG vs PAK Test at Lord's?

Babar Azam missed the first Test at Headingley due to a finger injury.

The Pakistan Test Team will aim to bounce back after their humiliating defeat in the first match of the three-match Test series against England. The team faced a humiliating defeat at Headingley, losing by a massive margin of 103 runs. The hosts, however, will be aiming to extend their lead in the second match, which will be played at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. 

Pakistan‘s batting turned out to be one of their biggest concerns in the first Test. The batting order collapsed on multiple occasions, leaving a huge room for rectification and improvement. The side struggled to put together partnerships, and wickets fell on regular occasions. With the Test action moving over to Lord’s, the visitors are expected to make changes to their playing combination to strengthen their batting. 

One of the major questions for the Pakistani side ahead of the second Test has been the availability of their skipper, Babar Azam. He missed the opening match owing to a finger injury, which he sustained during the practice game. His presence would provide Pakistan the additional experience that a team needs to bounce back on unfamiliar overseas pitches. 

Babar Azam set to return to Pakistan XI for second ENG vs PAK Test

Babar Azam is likely to play in the second Test between England and Pakistan at Lord’s. The Pakistan captain was declared to be 90% fit and indicated a return through hard training sessions in the nets ahead of the start of the second Test. 

Babar’s recovery comes as a major boost after he completed a positive training session ahead of the match. The sessions increased confidence in the player and raised the team management’s hope for a positive return. Bowling coach Umar Gul mentioned that the management is positive about Babar making it to the XI in the second Test. 

Babar’s absence was significant during the last game, when the Pakistan batting failed consistently against the challenge posed by the English bowlers. He is yet to score a hundred against the opposition on English soil, but averages over 65 in England in the longest format of the game. 

His return could level up Pakistan’s hope to strengthen their batting order. However, the final playing XI remains dependent on the pitch conditions at Lord’s and Babar’s fitness as well. 

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