The Pakistan vs England Test series gets underway on August 19, with the two sides set to meet in a three-match contest as part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle.
All three Tests will begin at 3:00 PM Pakistan Standard Time (PST), with the toss scheduled for 2:30 PM PST.
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The opening Test will be played at Headingley in Leeds, while the second Test will take place at Lord’s in London and the third and final Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
Pakistan return to England after six years
This will be Pakistan’s first Test tour of England since 2020. Their previous series in England ended 1-0 in the hosts’ favour, with the other two Tests drawn under Azhar Ali’s captaincy.
Pakistan have not won a Test match in England since 2018, when Sarfaraz Ahmed’s side secured a nine-wicket victory at Lord’s. Mohammad Abbas was named Player of the Match after taking eight wickets in the game.
Pakistan’s last Test series victory in England came in 1996, when Wasim Akram’s side won the three-match series 2-0.
However, Pakistan won their most recent Test series against England 2-1, when the English side toured Pakistan in 2024.
Pakistan enter the series after drawing 1-1 with the West Indies in the Caribbean. The second Test victory was Pakistan’s first Test win outside Asia since 2021.
Babar Azam ruled out of first Test
Pakistan were initially set to begin a new chapter under Babar Azam, who was reappointed as Test captain ahead of the West Indies and England tours.
However, Babar has now been ruled out of the first Test against England after sustaining a right-hand injury during a warm-up match.
In Babar’s absence, Salman Ali Agha will captain Pakistan in the first Test, marking his debut as Test captain.
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The team remains hopeful that Babar could return for the second Test if he recovers in time.
England begin new era after Stokes and McCullum departures
England also enter the series in a period of transition. Ben Stokes retired from international cricket after the third Test against New Zealand in June, while Brendon McCullum was sacked as England’s Test head coach in July.
Joe Root has returned as England’s Test captain, while former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has been appointed as the new Test head coach.
Marcus Trescothick is overseeing the side during the transition before Fleming takes charge later in the year.
The series therefore marks the beginning of a new era for England after the end of the Stokes-McCullum partnership that defined the team’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach.
New faces and absences in Pakistan’s squad
Pakistan’s squad includes four new players: left-arm spinner Ali Usman, batter Muhammad Awais Zafar, fast bowler Ubaid Shah and wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Ghazi Ghori.
Pakistan will also be without several established bowlers, including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Hasan Ali and Noman Ali, who were not included in the squad for the England tour.
Pakistan vs England head-to-head record
Pakistan and England have faced each other 92 times in Test cricket.
- Pakistan wins: 23
- England wins: 30
- Draws: 39
Pakistan squad
Babar Azam (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Sajid Khan, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha (vc), Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah.
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Note: Babar Azam has subsequently been ruled out of the first Test, with Salman Ali Agha named stand-in captain.
England squad for first two Tests
Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue
Pakistan vs England Test series schedule
| Test | Date | Venue | Start time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | August 19-23 | Headingley, Leeds | 3:00 PM PST |
| 2nd Test | August 27-31 | Lord’s, London | 3:00 PM PST |
| 3rd Test | September 9-13 | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 3:00 PM PST |
The toss for each Test will take place at 2:30 PM PST.
Where to watch the PAK vs ENG Test series live?
Where to watch in Pakistan?
PTV Sports and Ten Sports will broadcast the series live in Pakistan. Fans can also stream the matches on Tapmad and Tamasha.
Where to watch in the UK?
Sky Sports will broadcast the Pakistan vs England Test series live for viewers in the UK.
Where to watch in India?
Sony Sports Network will broadcast the Pakistan vs England Test series live in India. The matches will also be available to stream on the Sony LIV app and website.
Where to watch in Bangladesh?
Fans in Bangladesh will be able to stream the Test series live on Tapmad.
Where to watch in Australia?
Fox Sports will broadcast the series live in Australia, while fans can stream the matches on Kayo Sports.
Where to watch in the Middle East and North Africa?
Cricbuzz 2 will broadcast the Pakistan vs England Test series across the Middle East and North Africa.
Where to watch in the USA and Canada?
Fans in the USA and Canada will be able to watch the Pakistan vs England Test series live on Willow TV.
Where to watch in Sub-Saharan Africa?
SuperSport will broadcast the three-match Test series live across Sub-Saharan Africa.
WTC standings
The series is an important opportunity for both teams to improve their positions in the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 standings.
Pakistan currently sit eighth, while England are seventh in the WTC table. Both teams will be looking for a strong result to improve their chances of remaining in contention for the WTC Final.
Pakistan finished bottom of the ICC World Test Championship 2023–25 standings and are aiming to make a strong comeback in the ongoing 2025–27 cycle.
