- Zak Crawley says I’m looking forward to the challenge.
- England fell this week in Multan.
- I think we will put pressure on the opponents.”
MULTAN: Zak Crawley said on Friday that England’s young pace attack will face a “test of character” in the upcoming Test series in Pakistan, where a pitch baked by high temperatures and increased levels of smog awaits.
The team arrived this week in the central city of Multan, which will host the first two of a three-match Test series starting on Monday.
With training underway, temperatures are 37°C (99°F) and air pollution is up to 27 times the level considered safe by the World Health Organization, according to monitoring company IQAir.
“It’s going to be tough but we’ve got what it takes to deal with it,” said Crowley, returning to the squad after missing a home series against Sri Lanka with a broken finger.
“We are looking forward to this challenge,” the 26-year-old told reporters in Multan. “We’ve been talking about it for the last two weeks.”
He predicted that England’s quintet of bowlers – on their maiden tours of Pakistan – would particularly face a “test of character and a test of skill”.
With the experienced pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad now retired, the pace bowling baton is with Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Gus Atkinson, Olly Stone and Chris Woakes.
“These young guys have a lot of skill,” Crowley said. “Being young brings energy and fire in the belly as well, and I’m sure they’ll be raring to go and do well.”
Pakistan’s international cricket performance has been in dire straits and the red-ball team has lost all five matches during skipper Shan Masood’s tenure that began last year.
Last month they suffered a humiliating first-time home defeat 2-0 to lowly Bangladesh.
Crowley is one of eight players in England’s Test squad who also played in the side that beat Pakistan 3-0 in 2022, earning them their first home whitewash.
“I think we will put pressure on the opposition like last time,” Crowley said, referring to England’s ‘Baseball’ attack, nicknamed by manager Brendon McCullum.
“The finger is good and I’ve recovered well,” Crawley said of his recovery from the injury. “It’s hard for me to go. I can’t wait.”
The second Test begins in Multan on October 15 with the final match being played in Rawalpindi from October 24.
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