By Sajid Sadiq
With an unenviable recent Test record, Sarfaraz Ahmed’s team arrived a few weeks ago on the shores of the United Kingdom to take part in a total of three Test matches on their tour of Ireland and England.
Ahead of them lies an opportunity to make amends for their current lacklustre form in Tests which has been exacerbated by the loss almost a year ago of two stalwarts, Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan.
Under a captain who has done wonders for the fortunes of the team in the shorter formats of the game but has so far failed to perform miracles in the Test arena, the visitors will be under pressure to give a good account of themselves once the real action of the tour starts with the first Test against England at Lord’s on 24th May, which is then followed by the final match of the series at Headingley on the 1st of June.
Unlike the Pakistan teams of the past, the squad chosen for this tour does not contain many superstars. At the start of the tour, the Pakistan squad consisted of no less than five players who had yet to play Test cricket. Whilst this list was reduced by two when Imam-ul-Haq and Faheem Ashraf were handed their debut caps before the start of the Test match against Ireland, the fact remains that this visiting Pakistan side is anything but experienced.
