Abu Dhabi (web Desk) – Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq won toss and decided to bat first against England in their first Test of three-match series at Abu Dhabi.
Pakistan is playing without key spinner Yasir Shah who went down with a back problem in training on Monday. Imran Khan has replaced him.
“It’s a test of others in the side to show their character,” Misbah said after the toss, admitting that the absence of another spinner from the party is “disappointing”.
The second Test at Dubai is scheduled to begin on October 22, while the third Test will start November 1 at Sharjah.
The bilateral series which will be comprised of three Tests, four one day internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 matches will continue till November 30, 2015.
Read more: Date,Time and Schedule: Pakistan, England 1st test today
England Squad
AN Cook*, MM Ali, JM Anderson, JM Bairstow, IR Bell, SCJ Broad, JC Buttler†, ST Finn, AD Hales, SR Patel, LE Plunkett, AU Rashid, JE Root, BA Stokes, JWA Taylor, MA Wood
Pakistan Squad
Misbah-ul-Haq*, Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Imran Khan, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Rahat Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed†, Shan Masood, Shoaib Malik, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Younis Khan, Zulfiqar Babar.