England closed in on an unprecedented whitewash in Pakistan as a five-for from debutant Rehan Ahmed decimated the hosts on day three of the third and final Test.
Having taken two wickets on day one at the National Stadium in Karachi, England's youngest Test debutant built on Jack Leach's three-wicket haul as the hosts crumbled.
After bowling Pakistan out for 216, England look certain to claim a convincing win after navigating the late dismissals of Zak Crawley and Ahmed to cut the deficit to 55 by stumps.
Leach's incredible spell at the end of the first session on Monday set the tone.
Having enjoyed a stroke of fortune when Shan Masood (24) was bowled reverse-sweeping, Leach followed up by dismissing Azhar Ali for a duck in his final Test innings before retirement and pinning Abdullah Shafique (26) leg before wicket.
Ahmed then came to the fore, claiming the crucial wickets of Babar Azam (54) and Saud Shakeel (53).
The 18-year-old's googly then accounted for Mohammad Rizwan just after he was dropped by Ollie Pope, before Joe Root and Mark Wood got in on the act.
However, the day belonged to Ahmed, who rounded off a terrific performance by drawing catches from Mohammad Wasim and Agha Salman as England were set 168 to win.
Ben Stokes' team wasted little time in reducing that target – Abrar Ahmed's late dismissals of Crawley (41) and Ahmed, who moved up the order to come in at three, surely not enough to provoke a turnaround.
Ahmed makes more history
Ahmed played a key role in teeing up what will surely be a success for England in Karachi, becoming the youngest bowler (aged 18 years and 128 days) to take a five-wicket-haul on debut in a men's Test match.
The last England spinner to record better match figures than Ahmed's 7-137 on debut was Peter Such, who managed 8-145 against Australia in 1993.
Ahmed might well have cemented his place in the Test squad heading into 2023.
Leach hits the summit
While Ahmed stole the headlines, Leach limited Pakistan by claiming three big dismissals in the space of two overs, becoming the leading wicket-taker in men's Tests this year in the process.
The wicket of Shafique was Leach's 46th of 2022, more than any other player in the format – South Africa's Kagiso Rabada is second with 45.
Archer brings 'fear factor' to England's T20 World Cup squad, says Curran
Jofra Archer's return will bring a "fear factor" to England's bowling attack at the T20 World Cup, believes team-mate Sam Curran.
Paceman Archer has endured an injury-hit few years, with elbow and back problems preventing him from representing England since March 2023.
However, he has been included in England's provisional squad for next month's World Cup in the United States and West Indies and could make his international return on Wednesday.
England face Pakistan in the first of four T20Is at Headingley, and Archer is expected to feature after taking part in team training on Monday.
It is hoped he might play in three of the four matches against Pakistan in order to build up fitness ahead of the World Cup, and Curran says opposition teams will be nervous about his return.
"It's incredibly exciting," Curran said on Monday. "I'm sure England fans and players are extremely buzzed to have him back. He's an addition no side can turn down.
"He's obviously got that extra pace and fear factor we can bring to the opposition as well. Hopefully his injuries are behind him now."
Kane injury doubt for England Euro 2024 squad
Harry Kane may be a doubt for England’s Euro 2024 squad as he continues to struggle with a back problem.
Gareth Southgate is due to name his preliminary squad for Euro 2024 on Tuesday, ahead of upcoming friendlies against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland.
The England captain missed the final two Bundesliga games of the season after going off towards the end of Bayern Munich’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid.
Thomas Tuchel confirmed prior to their final match against Hoffenheim that Kane was back in England to undergo treatment.
When later asked again about the nature of the striker’s injury, Tuchel admitted that Kane had been struggling for a couple of weeks.
"In Madrid, it was borderline. We tried injections and treatments. The back has completely closed.
"It has gotten worse and kept breaking out in small, everyday movements. There's no chance he's even training."
Kane scored 36 league goals in his debut campaign for Bayern, though due to the injury, he finished five adrift of Robert Lewandowski’s single-season goal record of 41, set in 2019-20.
The final announcement of Southgate's 26-man squad will be revealed on June 7, ahead of the tournament opener against Serbia on June 16.
Brandon King named captain as West Indies squad named for three-match T20I series against South Africa
Brandon King has been appointed captain of the West Indies squad named to face South Africa in the upcoming three T20 International series at Sabina Park in Kingston starting Thursday, May 23. The squad has been gearing up for this exciting and highly anticipated series with a training camp held at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua. The selection panel has confirmed that Brandon King will have Roston Chase as his vice captain. Both appointments are on an interim basis.
King was set to lead the West Indies A-Team on the recently concluded T20 tour to Nepal before he was withdrawn due to injury. Chase, appointed instead, went on to lead the A-Team to a series win against Nepal.
The West Indies Men’s squad for the series is as follows: Brandon King (Captain), Roston Chase (Vice-Captain), Fabian Allen, Alick Athanaze, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd and Hayden Walsh Jr.
Alzarri Joseph and Sherfane Rutherford will be added to the squad if their respective franchises do not reach the Indian Premier League (IPL) Final. Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran are both rested for the series and will join the squad in Trinidad on Monday, 27 May.
“These are among the last competitive T20 International matches before the start of the World Cup,” said lead selector Desmond Haynes. “Players have the opportunity to fine-tune their skills and ensure they are as prepared as they can be for the World Cup, whether they are in the final squad or reserve pool.”
White Ball Head Coach Daren Sammy also commented on his objectives for this series stating, “We have not played together as a team since the Australia series, but we just completed a very high-intensity training camp in Antigua. Now we have the chance to integrate some of our players returning from the IPL and build some momentum as a group going into the World Cup.”
Tickets for the T20I Series against South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica are available now to buy online from the Windies Tickets service, at WINDIES TICKET PORTAL. Fans who purchase online will benefit from a 20 per cent discount compared to the box office prices, with tickets ranging from the most premium seats with the best-shaded views in the stadium through to affordable standard seats or mounds/grounds entry.
Match schedule:
- 23 May 1st T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT
- 25 May 2nd T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT
- 26 May 3rd T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT
West Indies won the last T20 International played at Sabina Park against New Zealand in August 2022, which was the last time international cricket was played at this historic venue.
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