Pakistan take on England at The Oval today

LONDON: Pakistan will take on England in the last of the four-match Test series at The Oval on Thursday. 

Pakistan have already lost two back-to-back Test matches against England at Old Trafford and Edgbaston while Pakistan drew first blood when they beat the hosts by 75 runs at Lords in the very first match of the series. 

England beat Pakistan comprehensively in the last two Test matches, at Edgbaston by 143 runs and at Old Trafford by 330 runs. Pakistan already face a setback as left-arm bowler Rahat Ali might sit this Test match out due to a knee injury and if that is the case, his spot might go to left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz.

If England clinch the series 3-1 by beating Pakistan in the last Test as well, then they will claim the number one spot in Test rankings. If Pakistan want to retain their number three spot in Test rankings, then they will have to win the Test to level the series 2-2.

Pakistan have not won a Test series on the English soil since the past 20 years. Outside Asia, the last time Pakistan clinched a Test series was against New Zealand six years ago. According to captain Misbah-ul-Haq, if Pakistan are to level the series, then they must play extraordinary cricket.

Pakistan might replace struggling batsman Mohammad Hafeez with debutante Iftikhar Ahmad, who is a top order batsman and an off-spinner. England go into the fourth Test with an unchanged team. 

--Originally published in The News