LAHORE: Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has advised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management to limit captain Babar Azam’s exposure to the English media during the national team’s upcoming three-Test tour of England.
Pakistan have arrived in England for the three-match Test series, with Babar-led Pakistan set to face the hosts in the opening Test at Headingley in Leeds from August 19 to 23.
Speaking on Geo News programme Score, Rashid, who toured England with Pakistan in 1992, 1996 and 2001, said the PCB should adopt a strategy of keeping Babar away from the English media during the tour.
“An England tour is a difficult assignment, and the English media often tries to unnecessarily involve visiting teams in news stories,” Rashid said.
He added that Babar would be under particular scrutiny from the English media during the series.
“Babar Azam is an experienced player, so it would be better for the PCB management to keep him away from the English media and send former captain Shan Masood to speak to them more often,” Rashid said.
“Shan has played in England and has better experience of dealing with the English media,” he added.
Rashid also suggested Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Abbas as suitable alternatives to represent Pakistan in media interactions during the tour.
The Test series will be Pakistan’s first in England since 2020 and forms part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle.
The opening Test will be played at Headingley from August 19 to 23, followed by the second at Lord’s from August 27 to 31. The third and final Test will take place at Edgbaston in Birmingham from September 9 to 13.
Pakistan head into the series after drawing their two-Test series against the West Indies 1-1. The result included Pakistan’s first away Test victory since July 2023, providing a morale boost ahead of the England assignment.
As part of their preparations, Pakistan will also play a four-day warm-up fixture against a Select XI from August 12 to 15.
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.
