Pressure on Babar Azam

All talk and now it is time to showcase why Babar Azam is one of the most talked about cricketers in the world right now. Azam might be feeling the pressure on his shoulders, but you know what, that’s when his best comes out. Always.

LBW OUT!

Chris Woakes has rapped skipper Azhar Ali onto the pads. The umpire has given it out quickly. Ali reviews it. Three reds. This is OUT! PAK 43/2

Play resumes

It was a short and snappy break but it has certainly given England some sort of break from the dreariness that was put forth by the openers. Azhar Ali and Shan Masood face the heat. Archer and Woakes attack for England.

Rain stops play

The rain has stopped the play as showers come down in the middle just after the wicket. Pakistan 36/1

RIPPER! OUT!

Jofra Archer bowls a ripper through and through Abid Ali. It goes through the bat and pads to knock down the stumps. Finally, a breakthrough for England. PAK 36/1

Archer into the attack

Stuart Broad has been replaced by Jofra Archer. The right-armer will be eager to prove himself after what was a tough month for him.

Starting to drizzle

It is starting to rain in Manchester. The umpires are waiting, hoping it will blow over. But it is starting to gain momentum. Seems like a passing shower.

Change in bowling attack

James Anderson is being replaced by Chris Woakes. He forced his selection after picking a fifer in the previous Test. He is a serious wicket-taker and England will hope he can get another one here.

FOUR!

Frustrations continue for Anderson. Just bowled outside off stump to Ali, he slogs it, it just goes over the 2nd slip, for a boundary. There was certainly a chance there for England.

FOUR!

James Anderson has bowled outside off stump, but just a bit full on, batsman just pushed it between the slips for a boundary. Frustration for England veteran.

CHANCE!

Abid Ali tries to sneak in for a single, but his partner screamed NO at the top of his lungs. Good call there, it would have been a really tight run to take.

Good start

Shan Masood and Abid Ali are off to a steady start. The two are looking rock solid in the middle at the moment. The first phase of the game will set how this Test goes and it is important for Pakistan for the two batsmen to stick it out for as long as they can.

Stuart Broad on the other end

The hero of England summer, Stuart Broad is into the attack. What an exciting month this has been for the seamer. Out of the team, into the team, joining 500 club. He will be eager to get a wicket or two quickly.

Pakistan out to bat

Shan Masood and Abid Ali out to bat for Pakistan. James Anderson starts the attack for England. HERE WE GO!

No ball technology

“Front foot no-ball technology to be used in ICC World Test Championship series featuring England and Pakistan, with the support of both teams. Performance of the technology in these Tests will be reviewed before any decisions taken on its future use in Test cricket,” ICC Media tweeted.

England XI

England Team: 1 Dom Sibley, 2 Rory Burns, 3 Joe Root (capt), 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Ollie Pope, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Chris Woakes, 8 Dom Bess, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Jofra Archer, 11 James Anderson

Pakistan XI

Two spinners for Pakistan but no Mohammad Amir.

Pakistan Team: Shan Masood, 2 Abid Ali, 3 Azhar Ali (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Asad Shafiq, 6 Shadab Khan, 7 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 8 Yasir Shah, 9 Shaheen Afridi, 10 Mohammad Abbas, 11 Naseem Shah

Toss

Pakistan win toss and opt to bat first.

Will Stokes play?

Some good news for England fans, ESPNCricinfo reports, the No.1-ranked all-rounder is warming up and also bowling a few deliveries. Looks like he is fit to play.

Weather forecast

You can’t get away from rain when you are in England can you? The hosts were forced to train indoors on the eve of the Test match and as far as the weather forecast for today is concerned there is above 50% chance of rain in the first session. It is likely clear out a bit as the day progresses but brace for a few rain stoppages.

Misbah-ul-Haq speaks on mental aspects

Finding a way to stay fresh will be key, Pakistan coach Misbah ul Haq admitted.

“Everybody is good, the mental health, they look good and they are enjoying as a team,” Misbah said. “But Test cricket is different. Once you are in, pressures just build sometimes, but we’ll try to keep it so they are mentally fresh regardless of the results.

TV umpires to call no balls

“Front foot no-ball technology to be used in ICC World Test Championship series featuring England and Pakistan, with the support of both teams. Performance of the technology in these Tests will be reviewed before any decisions taken on its future use in Test cricket,” said ICC.

England wait on Stokes fitness

Ahead of the first Test match against Pakistan, England skipper Joe Root needs more clarity on all-rounder Ben Stokes readiness to feature as a front-line seam option before picking the side for the series opener.

Pakistan squad for the first Test

Pakistan included two wicket-keepers in the 16-man squad for the first Test against England.

Azhar Ali (C), Babar Aazam (VC), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, and Yasir Shah.

Bizarre circumstances

How often have we seen a side finishing an ODI series against a team and starting a Test series the next day against a different team? Scratch your heads for answers but England’s two different set of sides have made that possible. They played Ireland last night and now they will play Pakistan today.

England vs Pakistan

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of England vs Pakistan 1st Test match at Old Trafford in Manchester. We are all set for what promises to be an exciting three-match series between two quality sides.