Babar Azam to lead Pakistan at Lord's as he declares himself 90 per cent fit

Pakistan captain Babar Azam declared himself 90 percent fit and set to return at Lord’s for the second Test against England starting Thursday, despite still recovering from a finger injury that kept him out of the tourists’ heavy opening-match defeat at Headingley.

Babar Returns to Shore Up a Struggling Lineup

Pakistan cricket captain Babar Azam will lead his side at Lord’s despite still being troubled by the finger injury that ruled him out of the heavy first Test loss. The tourists were crushed by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley in his absence, bowled out for totals of 171 and 135.

The 31-year-old batsman was originally hit on the glove by England Under-19 prospect Manny Lumsden during a warm-up match in Beckenham. That blow compounded a finger injury initially sustained during Pakistan’s recent tour of the West Indies, where he had been his team’s top run-scorer with 193 runs during a drawn two-Test series.

Addressing reporters at a pre-match press conference in London on Wednesday, the returning skipper offered an upbeat assessment of his physical readiness.

Azam also touched on the honor of captaining his country at the historic London venue, noting, Always when you lead the Pakistan team, especially at this ground, it is an honour for me and I will do my best. If it is on the field as captain or when I’m batting, I will just play my game.

Nets Session Confirms Full Recovery

Gul added that the coaching staff was encouraged by what they saw on Tuesday. We’re hopeful he will be available for the game and today he was looking good; he batted well in the nets. He had a full batting session, Gul explained.

Babar Azam to lead Pakistan at Lord's as he declares himself 90 per cent fit — Photo: gulftoday.ae

With Azam’s expected return at number four, tactical adjustments are anticipated in the batting order. Azan Awais may make way for the captain, while opening duties could see either Shan Masood or Abdullah Shafique move up the order.

Bowling Shuffles and Team Selections

Pakistan could also make changes to their bowling line-up after an attack that lacked sheer pace in Leeds. Twenty-year-old Ubaid Shah is favored to bring extra speed to the pace department.

That potential inclusion leaves Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali vying for a single spot in the XI. Meanwhile, Mohammad Abbas remains the most reliable seamer from the Headingley fixture, alongside left-arm spinner Ali Usman, who arrives fresh off his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

Reflecting on the mistakes of the opening loss, Azam acknowledged the opposition’s strength while emphasizing internal belief.

“I think we were not playing up to our mark, but credit to England for the way they are playing. After that we sat to discuss our mistakes and now we are looking forward to the match, believing in ourselves and we will try to play good cricket.”
Babar Azam, Pakistan captain, via Cricket

England Focuses on Cricket Amid Off-Field Disruption

While Pakistan sorts out its lineup, England enters the second fixture aiming to secure their first Test series victory in almost two years. Joe Root has taken the reins for his second stint as Test captain, though preparations for Lord’s were overshadowed by disciplinary trouble.

Babar Azam Practices at Lord’s | Ready to Lead Pakistan | ENG vs PAK 2nd Test

Root admitted he was deeply frustrated after fast bowler Brydon Carse was dropped from the squad following an incident outside a Derby nightclub. Addressing reporters on Tuesday, Root’s firm message resonated with the dressing room, according to fast bowler Josh Tongue.

It was a chat that was needed, a very good chat from Rooty, the 28-year-old Tongue told reporters, noting that the squad must maintain professionalism to set an example for aspiring young players. England has endured a turbulent run of three wins and six losses across nine Tests since last October, a stretch complicated by prior off-field incidents including white-ball captain Harry Brook being fined £30,000 ($41,000) for an altercation in Wellington.

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