Leeds hosts the first of three test matches between England and Pakistan, the game gets under way on Wednesday and we take a look at the squads, recent form and the all important betting .
This is a 3 match series with Lords hosting the second test and Birmingham the third and we begin with the squads.
Ben Stokes retired from international cricket and Brendon McCullum lost the coaching job although he does remain in charge of the white ball team. Joe Root is back as skipper and Marcus Trescothick will coach for this series before Stephen Fleming takes up the role full time.
England: Joe Root (captain), 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, Josh Tongue
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah, Saud Shakeel
Recent Form:
England
England lost 2-1 at home to New Zealand in June. They won the first test by 115 runs but then things fell apart as they went down by 253 runs and then 160 runs.
England’s previous action in the test match format came in the Ashes in Australia at the end of 2025 and beginning of 2026 and they lost that series 4-1 with their sole win coming in the fourth test when the series was already settled.
England hosted India in a 5 match series in June / July last year and it turned out to be a thriller which was drawn 2-2 with 1 draw.
Pakistan
Pakistan have had one warm u match since arriving in England and they beat a County Select XI by 7 wickets. They traailed their hosts after the first innings but Ali Usman took 5 second innings wickets before Saud Shakeel (100) and Imam Ul Haq (80) took them to victory.
Pakistan have just returned from the West Indies where a 2 match series was drawn 1-1. They lost the first test by 90 runs, bowled out for 282 and 120 but in the second test a first innings score of 387 set the platform for an 8 wicket win
In May Pakistan lost both test matches in Bangladesh by margins of 104 runs and 78 runs.
The Venue, Headingley, Leeds
Over the course of the last 10 years England have played 7 test matches at Leeds, losing the first to West Indies in 2017 before winning each of the next 6.
In 2018 England thrashed Pakistan by an innings and 55 runs at this venue
The most recent Headingley test saw England (465 and 373/5) beat India (471 and 364) by 5 wickets in June 2025
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1st Test Betting
Prices quoted from Sportingbet are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change.
England are 0.52/1 to win the first test with a draw at 19/4 and Pakistan can be backed at 27/10
Price boosts include Joe Root to be England’s top 1st innings bat at 100/30 (from 11.4) and Babar Azam to be Pakistan’s top 1st innings bat at 4/1 (from 33/10)
The Verdict
Pakistan have not fired in this format for some time and I’m not sure this is the best time to face England who will be extra keen to bounce back from the debacle against New Zealand. One thing to be aware of is the English summer heatwave has broken and we might see a few interruptions for rain.
For my bets young talent Jordan Cox will reportedly get the chance to bat at No 3 for England and on the back of that I will take some his the boosted price for him to score a 50 in the first knock.
In Pakistan’s 1st innings the price for Imam Ul Haq to top score made some appeal on the back of his performance in the warm up.
Bets: 1st innings to score a 50 Jordan Cox? Yes at 11/4 (from 9/4) with Sportingbet
Pakistan top 1st innings bat Imam Ul Haq at 5/1 with Sportingbet