Babar Azam-led Pakistan will take on England in a crucial three-match Test series, with the opening match taking place at Headingley in Leeds on August 19. Pakistan recently played the two-match away Test series against the West Indies, which ended in a 1-1 draw after the visitors bounced back with a convincing eight-wicket victory in the second game.
Pakistan are currently at the 8th spot on the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 points table, with two wins and four losses, and have a PTC of 22.22%. Before Babar Azam took over Test captaincy duties, the side was led by Shan Masood, under whom they endured a challenging phase in the red-ball format before securing a morale-boosting series-leveling win against the West Indies.
The upcoming three-match Test series in England is crucial for Pakistan as they look to climb up the WTC points table and overcome the historical difficulties visiting teams often face against English conditions and media pressure.
Pakistan Urged to Keep Babar Azam Away from English Tour
As Pakistan prepares for yet another crucial away Test series, this time in England, former cricketer Rashid Latif made a request to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to shield their star batter and captain from unnecessary controversies and media distractions during the tour.
Speaking on GeoNews. Latif stated that the English media tends to unnecessarily draw unnecessary controversies against the visiting teams, adding that former captain Shan Masood should be given responsibility to handle the media during the tour due to his better familiarity with how to navigate the local press corps.
“An England tour is a difficult assignment, and the English media often tries to unnecessarily involve visiting teams in news stories.” Rashid Latif said.
“Babar Azam is an experienced player, so it would be better for the PCB management to keep him away from the English media and send former captain Shan Masood to speak to them more often.
“Shan has played in England and has better experience of dealing with the English media,” he added.
Shan Masood was born and educated in Kuwait and later completed his education in the United Kingdom, attending Stamford School in Lincolnshire and Durham University. His stint in County cricket, representing Hampshire, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, and Durham, further honed his experience in English conditions and understanding of English media, making him well-equipped to shoulder press responsibilities for the national side.
How Did Pakistan Perform in England Tests?
Pakistan have toured England for a Test series 15 times since 1954, with the upcoming three-match series set to mark their 16th Test tour of the country. They will aim to make their mark despite the formidable challenge posed by the hosts.
From 1954 to 2020, Pakistan won 11, lost 21, and drew 19 across 51 Test matches in England, and have a win percentage of 21.56%, highlighted by a memorable series draw in 2016, alongside famous historic triumphs at iconic venues like Lord’s, The Oval, and Headingley. In fact, Pakistan won three Test series in England in 1987, 1992 and 1996, showcasing their ability to thrive in challenging English conditions.
In Pakistan’s last Test tour of England in 2020, they ended up losing the three-match series 1-0, with the first Test at Old Trafford proving decisive before the remaining two matches were drawn due to rain. The last time Pakistan won a Test match in England was in 2016, when they registered a 10-wicket win against the hosts at The Oval to level the four-match series 2-2. That remains Pakistan’s most recent Test victory on English soil.
Since 1996, Pakistan haven’t won a Test series in England, and now, the Babar Azam-led side will look to end a 30-year drought and script a memorable series victory on English soil.