England and Pakistan begin their three-match Test series on Aug. 19, 2026, with the first Test at Headingley in Leeds. Pakistan will be without newly appointed Test captain Babar Azam for the series opener after he suffered a right-hand injury during the warm-up match against the Professional County Club Select XI.
The series marks Pakistan’s first Test tour of England since 2020, with the teams also set to meet at Lord’s and Edgbaston. Salman Agha will captain Pakistan in Babar’s absence, while Joe Root returns as England’s Test captain following Ben Stokes’ retirement. This will be England’s first Test series since Brendon McCullum’s departure as head coach, with Marcus Trescothick taking interim charge for the Pakistan series. Stephen Fleming, who has been appointed as McCullum’s successor, will take over after the series, ahead of England’s Test tour of South Africa later this year.
Pakistan Tour Of England 2026: Schedule
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
| Aug. 19–23, 2026 | 1st Test | Headingley, Leeds | 3:30 p.m. |
| Aug. 27–31, 2026 | 2nd Test | Lord’s, London | 3:30 p.m. |
| Sep. 9–13, 2026 | 3rd Test | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 3:30 p.m. |
England Vs Pakistan, 1st Test: Date And Time
The first Test between England and Pakistan will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 3:30 p.m. IST.
England Vs Pakistan, 1st Test: Toss Time
The toss time for the first Test match between England and Pakistan will be held at 3:00 p.m. (IST)
England Vs Pakistan, 1st Test: Live Telecast
The England vs Pakistan Test series 2026 will be telecast live on Sony Ten 5 and Sony Ten 5 HD in India.
England Vs Pakistan, 1st Test: Live Streaming
The England vs Pakistan Test series 2026 will be streamed live on the SonyLIV app and website in India.
England Team News
England head into the series with Joe Root back as Test captain following Ben Stokes’ retirement. The hosts have also welcomed back Ollie Pope, Brydon Carse and Dan Lawrence. Jacob Bethell has been ruled out of the series against Pakistan after suffering a knee injury during the ODI series against India.
Pakistan Team News
Pakistan had named Babar Azam as Test captain after he replaced Shan Masood, but he will miss the series opener through injury. Pakistan arrive on the back of a 1-1 Test series tie in the West Indies and a seven-wicket victory in their warm-up tour match against the PCC XI, where Saud Shakeel struck an unbeaten century. The 17-player touring squad features four uncapped players, including spinner Ali Usman and pacer Ubaid Shah.
Pakistan vs England: Probable Playing XI
Pakistan: Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Salman Agha (c), Saud Shakeel, Awais Zafar, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali
England: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue
England Vs Pakistan Test Matches: Head-To-Head Record
- Played: 92
- England Won: 30
- Pakistan Won: 23
- Draws: 39
England and Pakistan have a long-standing Test rivalry dating back to 1954, with the two sides having played 92 Tests. England hold the edge with 30 wins to Pakistan’s 23, while 39 matches have ended in draws.The last time these two teams met in a Test series was in 2024 when Pakistan won the home series 2-1, making a comeback after losing the 1st Test.
Pakistan Tour Of England 2026: Squads
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah
England (for the first two Tests): Joe Root (c), 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
Essential Business Intelligence,
Sharp Market Insights,
Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
