![\"Zak](\"https:\/\/www.geo.tv\/assets\/uploads\/updates\/2024-10-05\/567422_2694123_updates.jpg\")
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- Zak Crawley says looking forward to challenge.<\/span><\/li>\n
- England touched down this week in Multan.<\/span><\/li>\n
- “I think we will put pressure on the opponents.”<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nMULTAN: Opener Zak Crawley said on Friday that England’s young pace attack will face a “test of character” in their upcoming Test series in Pakistan where a pitch baked by searing temperatures and surging smog levels await.<\/p>\n
The team touched down this week in the central city of Multan, which will host the first two of a three-match Test series starting on Monday.<\/p>\n
With training underway, temperatures are 37\u00b0C (99\u00b0F) and air pollution is up to 27 times the level deemed safe by the World Health Organisation, according to monitoring firm IQAir.<\/p>\n
“It will be challenging, but we have got all the things in place to counter that,” said Crawley, returning to the squad after missing a home series against Sri Lanka with a fractured finger.<\/p>\n
“We are looking forward to that challenge,” the 26-year-old told reporters in Multan. “We have been talking about it for the last couple of weeks.”<\/p>\n
He predicted England\u2019s quintet of pace bowlers \u2014 on their maiden tours of Pakistan \u2014 would particularly face a “test of character and test of skill”.<\/p>\n
With experienced pace duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad now retired, the baton of pace bowling is with Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Gus Atkinson, Olly Stone and Chris Woakes.<\/p>\n
“These young guys have got a lot of skill,” said Crawley. “Being young brings in energy and fire in the belly as well, and I am sure they will be raring to go and do well.”<\/p>\n
Pakistan\u2019s international cricket performance is in dire straits, and the red-ball team has lost all five matches during the tenure of skipper Shan Masood which began last year.<\/p>\n
Last month they suffered a humiliating first-ever 2-0 home series defeat to low-ranked Bangladesh.<\/p>\n
Crawley is one of the eight players on England\u2019s Test squad who also played in the team beating Pakistan 3-0 in 2022, inflicting on them their first whitewash at home.<\/p>\n
“I think we will put pressure on the opponents, like the last time,” said Crawley, citing England\u2019s aggressive “Bazball” tactics, dubbed after the nickname of head coach Brendon McCullum.<\/p>\n
“The finger is good and I have recovered well,” Crawley said about his recovery from injury. “I am absolutely raring to go. I can\u2019t wait.”<\/p>\n
The second Test starts in Multan on October 15 with the final match played in Rawalpindi from October 24.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
- England touched down this week in Multan.<\/span><\/li>\n