England retain Sonny Baker while Matthew Fisher misses out as the hosts prepare for the final Test in Birmingham.
England have announced their 15-member squad for the third and final Test against Pakistan in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship campaign. The hosts have already secured the series after winning the opening two matches.
England currently lead the three-match series 2-0 and will enter the Birmingham Test with an opportunity to complete a clean sweep. The final encounter is scheduled to begin on September 9.
Sonny Baker has retained his place in England’s squad following his inclusion for the previous Test. However, fast bowler Matthew Fisher has been left out as the team management makes one change to its bowling options for the final match.
The England squad features several key players, including captain Joe Root, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Harry Brook, Shoaib Bashir, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope. Jamie Smith, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue are also included among the 15 players.
England’s series victory was confirmed at Lord’s, where they produced a dominant performance to defeat Pakistan by 194 runs. Their bowling attack played a major role in the comprehensive win and helped England secure the series with one match still remaining.
The result also provided a significant boost to England’s position in the World Test Championship standings. Following their victory at Lord’s, England moved above Sri Lanka into sixth place in the current WTC table.
The series triumph has helped England revive their World Test Championship campaign after a difficult run of results. They suffered a 4-1 series defeat in Australia before losing their home series against New Zealand 2-1 earlier in the summer.
Pakistan, meanwhile, remain at the bottom of the World Test Championship standings. With the series already lost, the visitors will be aiming to finish their tour positively by securing a victory in the final Test.
The Birmingham Test will therefore provide Pakistan with an opportunity to avoid a series whitewash, while England will look to complete a 3-0 victory and strengthen their position in the WTC cycle.