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Babar Azam Misses England Opener With Right-Hand Injury

8/19/2026

25 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Root Leads England

England open Test series at Headingley with Joe Root captaining and Salman Ali Agha standing in for Pakistan.
Babar Azam missed the opener after a right-hand injury in a warm-up at Beckenham, Sarfaraz Ahmed said.
Joe Root, back after Ben Stokes’s retirement, urged the side to be good role models and human beings.
Stephen Fleming will become Pakistan’s Test coach this winter.
Marcus Trescothick serves as England’s interim coach.

Summary

SonyLIV Streams Tests

SonyLIV will stream the England-Pakistan Tests, with Sony Ten 5/HD broadcasting them in India.
Jofra Archer, the IPL 2026 leading wicket-taker with 25 scalps for Rajasthan Royals, hopes to carry that form into the Tests.
The series counts toward the ICC World Test Championship, with England seventh and Pakistan eighth in the table.
Pakistan opened the tour with a seven-wicket victory over the PCC XI, chasing 264 on the final day.

History

Historical Context

England’s 2–1 Ashes victory in July 2005, their first since 1986-87, revived national Test ambitions after years of Australian dominance. That triumph, led by captain Michael Vaughan, set a benchmark for future squads. The 2026 England-Pakistan Tests, with Joe Root as captain and Stephen Fleming coaching Pakistan, echo that legacy as SonyLIV streams the series.

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Root Leads England

England open Test series at Headingley with Joe Root captaining and Salman Ali Agha standing in for Pakistan.
Babar Azam missed the opener after a right-hand injury in a warm-up at Beckenham, Sarfaraz Ahmed said.
Joe Root, back after Ben Stokes’s retirement, urged the side to be good role models and human beings.
Stephen Fleming will become Pakistan’s Test coach this winter.
Marcus Trescothick serves as England’s interim coach.

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