Shoaib Akhtar Warns Babar Azam's Pakistan Ahead Of Crucial England Tests

Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar has said that England wouldn’t make the same errors that West Indies did and helped Pakistan get themselves to a winning position and the England tour would be very tough, with the two teams all set to face each other from August 19.

Pakistan reinstated Babar Azam as their Test skipper, but his return to the role produced mixed results as the series against the West Indies ended 1-1. After losing the opening Test, Pakistan bounced back well in the second game, bagging an eight-wicket victory to level the series.

Pakistan’s red-ball team continues to face significant challenges on overseas tours, where consistent performances have been hard to come by. Their struggles are also reflected in the World Test

Championship standings.

Pakistan slipped to the bottom of the points table after losing the first Test against the West Indies, but climbed to ninth after their win in the second game.

“England won’t make the same mistake the West Indies did that allowed Pakistan to get into a winning position. They will prepare seam-friendly conditions, which will be very difficult for Pakistan to handle,” Akhtar said in a recent interview with a local sports platform, as quoted by Geo News.

Pakistan’s last Test victory away from home came against Sri Lanka in 2023, during Babar’s first stint as skipper. Shan Masood then took over the captaincy and remained at the helm for almost three years, but Pakistan’s overseas struggles persisted.

Pakistan suffered a 0-3 series whitewash Down Under, followed by 0-2 losses in South Africa and Bangladesh. The prolonged run without an overseas Test win underlined Pakistan’s difficulties in adapting to foreign conditions.

With Babar back at the helm, the upcoming England tour will provide another stern test of Pakistan’s ability to perform away from home.