The history of Test cricket between England and Pakistan stretches back to 1954 and has been a vibrant one over the years. Yet, for all the memorable battles, plus the cultural ties between the two countries and a fair bit of scandal along the way, a trophy that denotes the rivalry is still to be created. England lost the Crowe-Thorpe trophy to New Zealand this summer, will look to retain the Basil D’Oliveira trophy in South Africa this winter, and hope they can win back the Ashes next year.
Trophies for encounters with India and West Indies go back so far they have been retired and replaced by new ones in recent times. But aside from the Benaud‑Qadir trophy, inaugurated when Australia visited in 2022, Test series involving Pakistan simply have whatever cup the sponsor at the time commissions. When England were last in Pakistan, for example, they watched their hosts lift the Bank Alfalah presents Kingdom Valley trophy.
Until something more meaningful is devised, perhaps the series should be known as “El Dysfunctiono”. Admittedly it sounds like something Pelé raised awareness about back in the day. But given the two teams involved – both capable of self‑sabotage that drives supporters up the wall – it kind of works.
That it gets under way at Headingley, home to English cricket’s most volatile county, is also fitting. Pakistan are at something of a low ebb, frozen out of the top table at the International Cricket Council and one place off the bottom in the World Test Championship after claiming the wooden spoon last time around. Their past 18 Tests have featured 13 defeats, including a record eight in a row away from home – a run only ended this month when they left the Caribbean with a 1-1 series draw.
Underpinning this has been a rolling cast of head coaches and team directors – 11 in the past five years across formats in the men’s game, including interims – and they have recently turned back to Babar Azam as Test captain. This despite a battle for form that has seen him go 36 innings without a century. Babar will miss the series opener, however, with a hand injury, forcing Salman Ali Agha to step in.
Things are not much rosier for the hosts. English cricket is comparatively more stable, it must be said, and at the very least, has the ear of Jay Shah, the ICC chair. In contrast to those itchy trigger fingers at the Pakistan Cricket Board, they also tried their best not to rip things up after that dismal Ashes winter.
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