Pakistan field three debutants as England win toss and bowl first in Edgbaston Test

Pakistan field three debutants as England win toss and bowl first in Edgbaston Test.

Key points

• ENGLAND: Emilio Gay, Ben Duckett, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (captain), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wicket-keeper), Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue.
• PAKISTAN: Azan Awais, Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (captain), Saud Shakeel, Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Razaullah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Abbas.
• Dawn Sport Published September 9, 2026 Updated September 9, 2026 03: 10pm.
• The PCB additionally sacked Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, replacing them with Pakistan's white-ball coaches Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke.
• Salman Ali Agha – Pakistan's captain at Headingley when Babar Azam was injured – and left-arm spinner Ali Usman.

Dawn Sport Published September 9, 2026 Updated September 9, 2026 03: 10pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

Pakistan will try to salvage something from the wreckage of a woeful tour of England as they field three debutants in the third and final Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday.

England won the toss and elected to bowl first, with Pakistan making four changes to the side that suffered a 194-run defeat at Lord's and went 2-0 down in the three-Test series.

While opener Saim Ayub returned to the Test side for the first time since 2025, domestic cricket veteran and pace all-rounder Imran Randhawa, upcoming fast bowler Razaullah and wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori were handed Test debuts.

For context, the changes come after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took the extraordinary step of sending seven players home and calling up another seven after the defeat at Lord's. Five of the replacements were uncapped at Test level.

For context, the PCB additionally sacked Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, replacing them with Pakistan's white-ball coaches Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke.

Salman Ali Agha – Pakistan's captain at Headingley when Babar Azam was injured – and left-arm spinner Ali Usman. This person took a five-wicket haul in that match, were among those sent home. Experienced wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and opener Imam-ul-Haq were additionally omitted, with Imam having failed to bat in either innings at Lord's as of a calf injury.

Pakistan had already surrendered the series in emphatic fashion after suffering an innings defeat in the opening Test at Headingley before losing the second match by 194 runs at Lord's.

Although Randhawa brings considerable domestic experience to the line-up with 58 first-class appearances to his name, the scale of the changes means Pakistan will now take the field with a significantly inexperienced side.

While Ghori has spent the last couple of years in the Pakistan Shaheens and youth systems, razaullah, by contrast, has played only eight first-class matches. He has additionally represented Pakistan in One-day Internationals.

While Saim can provide an extra option with his mystery finger-spin, pakistan's attack comprises three specialist fast bowlers and Randhawa as the pace-bowling all-rounder.

For context, the changes are the latest chapter in a turbulent week for Pakistan cricket. It has been marked by sweeping personnel changes after a tour in which the team have struggled for both runs and wickets.

Speaking after the toss, captain Babar Azam appeared unfazed by the upheaval surrounding the team and remarked it had not been challenging for the players to move on from the events of the past week.

"It wasn't difficult, " Babar remarked, adding that the Test presented an opportunity for the players to showcase their mettle.

Pakistan will therefore be looking to avoid a series whitewash and finish a dismal tour on a positive note.

Their task, nevertheless, is formidable against an England side that has retained the same XI for the third Test after dominating the opening two matches.

While Pakistan will hope their revamped batting line-up can withstand the initial examination, england's decision to bowl first gives their pace attack the chance to exploit any movement available early in the innings.

For context, the hosts, meanwhile, will be seeking to maintain the winning combination that has put them in complete control of the series.

For Pakistan, the Edgbaston Test is less regarding the outcome of a series that has already slipped away and more concerning what they can build from a dramatic reset that has left a number of new faces with an unexpected opportunity at Test level.

In short, pakistan field three debutants as England win toss and bowl first in is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.