Shoaib Akhtar Sends Strong Message To Pakistan Before England Series

Shoaib Akhtar believes Pakistan could face a tough test when they take on England in the three-match series. The former pacer expects the hosts to make the most of home conditions.

The opening Test will be played at Headingley in Leeds from August 19. Akhtar feels England may produce pitches with enough help for their seam bowlers, which could make life difficult for Pakistan's batting line-up.

In a recent interview with a local sports platform, the former right-arm pacer said England would have taken note of the mistakes made by the West Indies in their recent series against Pakistan. He added that England will not repeat those mistakes to give Pakistan any chance in the match.

"England won't make the same mistake West Indies did that allowed Pakistan to get into a winning position. They'll prepare seam-friendly conditions, which will be very difficult for Pakistan to handle," said former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar.

Pakistan will be touring England for a Test series for the first time since 2020. The three-match series is also part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle.

After the first Test in Leeds, the teams will meet at Lord's for the second match from August 27 to 31. The final Test will be played at Edgbaston in Birmingham from September 9 to 13.

Pakistan head into the series after drawing 1-1 against the West Indies in their recent two-Test tour. They also picked up their first Test win away from home since July 2023, giving them some confidence before the England challenge.

Talking about the preparations, Pakistan will play a four-day warm-up game against a Select XI from August 12 to 15, which will help the players to get acclimatized to the English conditions.

Pakistan Squad for England Tests

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 and Ubaid Shah.

Pakistan vs England Test Series Schedule

• 1st Test: August 19–23, 2026 — Headingley, Leeds
• 2nd Test: August 27–31, 2026 — Lord's, London
• 3rd Test: September 9–13, 2026 — Edgbaston, Birmingham