Pakistan receive injury boost ahead of England Test series

Pakistan have received a boost with news that experienced batter Shan Masood has returned to training ahead of the first ICC World Test Championship fixture against England at Headingley.

Masood injured his finger during the opening Test of Pakistan's recent series against the West Indies in the Caribbean and watched on from the sidelines as the team broke a three-year drought with their first victory away from home since 2023 in the second Test.

But the stylish left-hander trained with the rest of Pakistan's squad at Beckenham on Tuesday and appears on track to return to the lineup for the first Test against England in Leeds from August 19.

"The national Test squad took part in a practice session at Kent County Cricket Club in Beckenham. The players participated in batting and bowling net practice during the session," Pakistan confirmed.

"Injured batter Shan Masood also took part in the practice session. Under the supervision of the medical team, he carried out batting practice."

Pakistan currently sit in eighth place on the World Test Championship standings and will be looking to continue their recent resurgence in England under new skipper Babar Azam, with the side to play a three-day tour match in Beckenham prior to the first Test.

The clash against a Professional County Club Select XI was originally scheduled to take place across four days and beginning on August 12, but the match has now been reduced to a three-day fixture that commences on August 13.

Pakistan Test squad: Babar Azam (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah

Series schedule

First Test: August 19–23, Headingley

Second Test: August 27–31, Lord's

Third Test: September 9–13, Edgbaston

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