Pak vs Eng: Haris Sohail’s inclusion for 1st ODI hangs in the balance after leg injury

• Haris Sohail still suffering from pain in right leg. 
• Sohail to miss out on practice sessions on July 5 and 6 in Derby. 
• Decision on Sohail’s inclusion to be made on July 6 after he undergoes an MRI scan. 
• Middle-order batsman Haris Sohail’s inclusion into the squad for the first ODI against England at Cardiff hangs in the balance, as the cricketer is still experiencing pain in his right leg. 

Sohail will not take part in the national team’s two practice sessions scheduled on July 5 and 6 in Derby, due to the injury. Last week, Sohail had missed out on the intra-squad practice matches due to the same injury. 

The left-handed batsman has already started his rehabilitation and will undergo an MRI scan on July 6 in Cardiff, following which a decision on his availability for the July 8 ODI against England will be made.

The three-match ODI series between Pakistan and England, which is also part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League, will commence from Cardiff on July 8.

Pakistan team is scheduled to travel to Cardiff on July 6.

ECB names squad for ODI series against Pakistan

The England Cricket Board on Saturday announced the 16-man squad for the ODI series against Pakistan, as the two sides gear up for an ODI and T20I series clash.

Somerset’s Tom Banton will remain with the squad after joining for the third Royal London ODI against Sri Lanka in Bristol on Sunday, 4 July. The England team is already leading the ODI series 2-0 against Sri Lanka and the final match is set to take place this Sunday.

England will name their squad for the Vitality IT20 series against Pakistan later this month.

England ODI Squad

• Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) Captain
• Moeen Ali (Worcestershire)
• Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)
• Tom Banton (Somerset)
• Sam Billings (Kent)
• Sam Curran (Surrey)
• Tom Curran (Surrey)
• Liam Dawson (Hampshire)
• George Garton (Sussex)
• Liam Livingstone (Lancashire)
• Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
• Joe Root (Yorkshire)
• Jason Roy (Surrey)
• David Willey (Yorkshire)
• Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
• Mark Wood (Durham)

The Royal London ODI Series

1st ODI: England v Pakistan, Thursday 8 July 2021, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

2nd ODI: England v Pakistan, Saturday 10 July 2021, Lord’s Cricket Ground, London.

3rd ODI: England v Pakistan, Tuesday 13 July 2021, Edgbaston, Birmingham.

The Pakistan team has already reached England to play a T20I and ODI series and had remained in isolation in Derby after which they had started their training.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam had said that the England series would be helpful in the team’s preparation for the World Cup and warned that England is not an easy opponent.

Skipper Azam said Pakistan’s performance in the previous tours had been good, however, he warned of any complacency.

“The English team will not be an easy opponent on their home ground. This is a good opportunity for World Cup preparation.”

Pakistan’s squad:

• Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab)
• Shadab Khan (vice-captain) (Northern)
• Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab)
• Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab)
• Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
• Haider Ali (Northern)
• Haris Rauf (Northern)
• Haris Sohail (Balochistan)
• Hasan Ali (Central Punjab)
• Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan)
• Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh)
• Mohammad Nawaz (Northern)
• Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper)
• (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
• Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab)
• Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper) (Sindh)
• Saud Shakeel (Sindh)
• Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
• Usman Qadir (Central Punjab)