Pakistan’s Reshuffled XI Faces Whitewash Threat in Edgbaston Decider

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Pakistan are 0-2 down after an innings-and-103-run defeat at Headingley and a 194-run loss at Lord’s, facing a series whitewash at Edgbaston
• This is the first Test for Pakistan’s overhauled squad, with Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha and Ali Usman all dropped and uncapped names like Saad Baig, Razaullah and Abdullah Fazal brought in
• The match arrives amid open disputes over PCB’s selection strategy, following public criticism from Jason Gillespie and Ahmed Shehzad in the days before the toss

England face Pakistan in the third and final Test of the series at Edgbaston, Birmingham, starting September 9, with the outcome already decided but the whitewash still very much live. England lead 2-0 after an innings-and-103-run win at Headingley and a 194-run victory at Lord’s.

What makes this Test different from a routine series-ending formality is the side Pakistan are fielding. This is the first match for a squad rebuilt from the ground up after the Lord’s defeat, and it arrives just days after the selection process itself became the story, with Jason Gillespie publicly rejecting blame directed at him by chairman of selectors Aaqib Javed, and Ahmed Shehzad separately challenging PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi over the sacking of bowling coach Umar Gul.

Related: Jason Gillespie hits back at Aaqib Javed over PCB blame

Pakistan’s Squad Overhaul, Tested for the First Time

Pakistan go into Edgbaston without Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha and Ali Usman, all part of the squad sacked after Lord’s. In their place, uncapped names including Saad Baig, Razaullah and Abdullah Fazal have been brought into the fold, alongside the returning Saim Ayub.

Babar Azam continues as captain. Whatever the merits of the selection process behind these changes, on the field this represents the most inexperienced Pakistan Test XI fielded in recent memory, taking on an England side that has beaten them comfortably twice already this series.

Head to Head: Last 5 Matches

Result	Date
England won by 194 runs	27 Aug 2026
England won by an innings and 103 runs	19 Aug 2026
Pakistan won by 9 wickets	24 Oct 2024
Pakistan won by 152 runs	15 Oct 2024
England won by an innings and 47 runs	07 Oct 2024

Pakistan’s most recent form makes for grim reading: L L W L L across their last five matches overall. England, by contrast, sit at W L L W W, a side capable of inconsistency but currently riding clear superiority over this specific opponent.

Related: Ahmed Shehzad’s message to Mohsin Naqvi over Umar Gul’s removal

Key Players to Watch

Harry Brook (ENG) — 715 runs this cycle at an average of 39.72, the most dangerous batter in the series so far.

Josh Tongue (ENG) — 39 wickets at an economy of 4.08, the leading wicket-taker in the series and a genuine threat to a Pakistan top order missing several experienced names.

Babar Azam (PAK) — 498 runs at 35.57, carrying both the captaincy and the batting responsibility for a lineup with considerably less collective experience than in the first two Tests.

Shan Masood (PAK) — 526 runs at 29.22, Pakistan’s most experienced remaining top-order option after the squad changes.

Match Details

• Ground: Edgbaston, Birmingham
• Dates: September 9-13, 2026 (5-day Test)
• Hours of play: 11:00 start, Lunch 13:00-13:40, Tea 15:40-16:00, Close 18:00
• Series: Pakistan tour of England, ICC World Test Championship

What Pakistan Need to Avoid

A defeat at Edgbaston completes a 3-0 series whitewash, Pakistan’s heaviest possible outcome against England in a home series for the hosts. Beyond the result itself, this match now doubles as the first real assessment of whether PCB’s dramatic squad changes produce anything different, or simply extend the pattern that led to those changes being made in the first place.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the series score before the third Test? England lead 2-0 after wins at Headingley (innings and 103 runs) and Lord’s (194 runs).

Who has been left out of Pakistan’s squad for this Test? Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha and Ali Usman are among those dropped following the post-Lord’s squad overhaul.

When does the third Test start? September 9, 2026, at Edgbaston, Birmingham, running through September 13.

Can Pakistan avoid a series whitewash? Only by winning or drawing at Edgbaston. A defeat completes a 3-0 series loss.