England began training for the three-match Pakistan Test series in Multan even as the focus remained on Ben Stokes' fitness.
Stokes is back in the England team after an extended period away due to a hamstring injury. Stokes' comeback plans earlier hit an unexpected snag as the Pakistan tour was plunged into chaos over availability of venues in the country as many grounds were undergoing renovation for next year's Champions Trophy.
There were even rumours of one match being moved to the UAE. However, the venues were finalised recently, with Multan set to host the first two Test matches and Rawalpindi the third. The opening match begins on Monday.
England began training on Friday with Stokes batting in the nets and also bowling a handful of balls. However, there is no clarity over the fitness of Stokes. He was anyhow not expected to bowl at the beginning of the series.
Batsman Zak Crawley suggested the management could take a late call on Stokes' selection.
"He seems to be going well, recovering well from his injury," Crawley said. "We don't know just yet. I think he's got to do a few more tests, but he's been doing some running and stuff."
If Stokes is unavailable to bowl, England will have to bolster their bowling attack on what is expected to be flat batting conditions in Pakistan.
However, the visitors will have fond memories from their last tour of the country where they went on a run-scoring spree, smashing the hosts 3-0. Harry Brook scored three centuries while spinners thrived during their 2022 visit as coach Brendon McCullum and Stokes' aggressive approach to Test cricket bore fruit.
They suffered a big setback during their subsequent tour of India, losing 4-1, but did find themselves in commanding positions at various stages. Now back in Pakistan, England will look to go on the attack once again against a team that is low on confidence.
The Pakistan team has been plagued by uncertainty, lack of leadership and poor results for a long period.
On Wednesday, Babar Azam resigned as white-ball captain for the second time within one year. Pakistan has now gone through four coaches, three board heads and four captains in the past two years, while also sliding down international standings in both red and white ball formats.
Pakistan recently suffered a crushing 2-0 Test series defeat at home against Bangladesh, highlighting how far they have fallen within a short span.
Also, a number of candidates for the captain's position have emerged in the Pakistan camp, leading to fears of a lack of unity in the squad.
However, their Test captain Shan Masood insisted the group is on the same page.
"Every captain has their own style," the left-handed batsman said. "I focus on keeping the environment in the dressing room well. That is my primary concern. I have never seen a lack of unity or effort by the boys. There are some cricketing aspects to how we need to improve, but I have no complaints regarding unity."
The series will have little bearing on the World Test Championship table as both sides, especially Pakistan, are not likely to make it to the top two by the end of the current cycle and qualify for the final at Lord's next year.
Feeding the thousands for iftar
Six industrial scale vats of 500litres each are used to cook the kanji or broth
Each vat contains kanji or porridge to feed 1,000 people
The rice porridge is poured into a 500ml plastic box
350 plastic tubs are placed in one container trolley
Each aluminium container trolley weighing 300kg is unloaded by a small crane fitted on a truck
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The five pillars of Islam
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The years Ramadan fell in May
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
James Mustich, Workman
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
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Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
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More on Quran memorisation:
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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