First Test: England win toss, opt to bowl first against Pakistan

England's Joe Root (left) flips the coin as Pakistan's stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha (centre) looks on during the toss ahead of the first Test match between England and Pakistan at Headingley, Leeds, August 19, 2026. — X/@TheRealPCB LEEDS: Hosts England won the toss and opted to field first against Pakistan in the series opener of the three-match Test series at Headingley on Wednesday. Pakistan captain Babar Azam has been ruled out of the series opener, with Salman Ali Agha stepping in as stand-in captain. Pakistan have won just one of their last five Tests, with their run including a 2-0 series defeat and a victory over the West Indies that helped level that series 1-1. England have endured a mixed run in their recent red-ball matches, losing three of their last five Tests, including a 2-1 series defeat against New Zealand. They will be looking to regain momentum under their new head coach and returning captain Ben Stokes as the series gets under way. Playing XIs Pakistan: Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha (c), Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Abbas. England: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, Joe Root (c), Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith (wk), Ollie Robinson, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue. Head-to-head England and Pakistan have faced each other in 92 Test matches. England have won 30, Pakistan 23, while 39 matches have ended in draws. The Test marks Pakistan's first red-ball series in England since 2020, when the two sides contested a three-match series. England won the series 1-0, with the other two Tests ending in draws.