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Five ODI debuts for Covid-hit England in Pakistan openerThe original squad chosen for this three-match series had to go into isolation
AFP
Last Updated IST
Test batsman Zak Crawley (in picture) was included together with Wales-born Phil Salt, now of Sussex. Credit: AFP file photo
Test batsman Zak Crawley (in picture) was included together with Wales-born Phil Salt, now of Sussex. Credit: AFP file photo

England gave debuts to five players for the first one-day international against Pakistan in Cardiff on Thursday after they were forced to field an entirely new XI following a coronavirus outbreak.

The original squad chosen for this three-match series had to go into isolation, leaving 50-over world champions having to announce a brand new group just 48 hours before Thursday's clash at Sophia Gardens.

Test batsman Zak Crawley was included together with Wales-born Phil Salt, now of Sussex, Somerset all-rounder Lewis Gregory, Durham fast bowler Brydon Carse and Middlesex wicketkeeper John Simpson.

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Ben Stokes, captaining England after being rushed back from a finger injury, won the toss and elected to field.

Pakistan gave a debut to middle-order batsman Saud Shakeel.

Teams

England: Phil Salt, Dawid Malan, Zak Crawley, James Vince, Ben Stokes (capt), John Simpson (wkt), Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Brydon Carse, Saqib Mahmood, Matt Parkinson

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Saud Shakeel, Sohaib Maqsood, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf

Umpires: Alex Wharf (ENG), Richard Kettleborough (ENG)

TV umpire: Richard Illingworth (ENG)

Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

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(Published 08 July 2021, 17:58 IST)