ENG vs PAK Match Prediction : 1st Test, Pakistan tour of England 2026

Pakistan are on a month-long red-ball tour of England, where they will face the hosts in a three-Test series as part of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle. The first Test will begin on Thursday at Headingley in Leeds.

England vs Pakistan Head-to-Head Record

England has won 6 of its last 10 matches against Pakistan, while the latter has won 4.

England vs Pakistan Live-streaming and Broadcast

The match will be broadcast and streamed across multiple regions as follows:

ENG vs PAK Team Previews

England

England’s recent form in Test cricket hasn’t been the best, with the team winning only 4 of its last 13 matches. They are currently seventh on the WTC points table and will be eager to improve their position.

England has retained most of the players who featured in the series against New Zealand, with the exceptions of Ben Stokes, Rehan Ahmed, and Jacob Bethell. The hosts are likely to continue with Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay at the top of the order. Duckett has been in excellent form in the recently concluded The Hundred and will look to provide England with a solid start.

Jordan Cox is likely to bat at number three, while Joe Root and Harry Brook remain the key figures in the middle order. Dan Lawrence is expected to fill the gap left by Ben Stokes’ retirement. The pace attack will likely be led by Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, and Josh Tongue, with Shoaib Bashir taking the specialist spinner’s role.

England Expected Playing 11

Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Joe Root (C), Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Jamie Smith (WK), Dan Lawrence, Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

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Pakistan

Pakistan have not won a Test series since defeating England at home in October 2024. They are currently eighth on the WTC points table and will be desperate to turn their fortunes around.

All 16 players who featured in the series against the West Indies earlier this month will travel to England. Azan Awais and Imam-ul-Haq are therefore expected to continue opening the batting and will look to provide a solid foundation.

The middle order features an experienced core of Babar Azam, Shan Masood, and Mohammad Rizwan, while all-rounders Aamer Jamal and Salman Agha add depth to the batting.

Pakistan’s bowling attack lacks the experience of players such as Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah. Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, and Mohammad Ali are instead expected to lead the pace attack, with Ali Usman taking charge of the spin department.

Pakistan Expected Playing 11

Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (C), Shan Masood, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali

ENG vs PAK Toss Prediction

The team winning the toss will likely opt to bowl first.

Pitch Report and Weather Conditions

The pitch at Headingley has an even covering of grass and offers plenty of carry and lateral movement for the fast bowlers. The batsmen will need to be particularly careful against the new ball and play it on its merits. Once they settle in, however, shot-making should become easier. The average first-innings score here is around 300 runs.

The surface is expected to dry out as the match progresses, bringing the spinners into greater play during the final couple of days. The weather will remain cloudy throughout the match, with temperatures below 20 degrees.

ENG vs PAK : Who Will Win?

We are backing England to win this match. While their recent Test form hasn’t been particularly impressive, they remain a quality side with plenty of experience. Playing in familiar home conditions should give them an additional advantage.

Bet on England to win.

ENG vs PAK win percentage stands at 63% in favor of ENG.