Pakistan tour England for three Tests from 19 August to 13 September 2026, opening at Headingley under Joe Root’s first assignment as full-time England Test captain since Ben Stokes retired. Pakistan arrive with Babar Azam reinstated as captain, replacing Shan Masood after a tenure that produced 12 losses in 16 Tests, including two whitewashes to Bangladesh. Both sides enter as part of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle, with Pakistan sitting ninth in the standings and needing results to keep any title hope alive.
This is Root’s first Test series in charge after the end of the Bazball era under Brendon McCullum, who was sacked alongside Stokes’s retirement. Marcus Trescothick takes interim charge as coach before Stephen Fleming’s tenure begins later in the year against South Africa. This guide covers the full schedule, both squads, and the storylines that make this series more than a routine WTC fixture.
Pakistan vs England 2026 Test Schedule
The three-match series runs across four weeks in English summer conditions, starting at Headingley on 19 August. England have named squads for the first two Tests only, with the third-Test squad to follow. Pakistan named their full 17-member squad for the entire England leg back on 5 July, giving them a longer lead-in to prepare for swing-friendly conditions after finishing their two-Test tour of the West Indies on 6 August.
| Test | Venue | Notes |
| 1st Test | Headingley, Leeds (from 19 August) | Joe Root’s first Test as full-time captain |
| 2nd Test | Confirmed for the ongoing WTC 2025-27 cycle | Squad to be announced separately |
| 3rd Test | Concludes by 13 September 2026 | Final fixture of Pakistan’s England leg |
England’s Squad: Root’s Post-Bazball Rebuild
England have named a 16-player squad for the opening two Tests. Dan Lawrence returns to the Test setup for the first time in two years after finishing as the second-highest run scorer in Division One of the County Championship, with 788 runs at an average of 65.66 including five centuries. Ollie Pope is recalled after responding to being dropped during the Ashes and New Zealand series, having since scored 510 runs at 56.66 with five scores above fifty.
Jordan Cox, who made his Test debut against New Zealand at the Kia Oval earlier in the summer, moves into the number three slot in place of the injured Jacob Bethell, who sustained a right knee injury during the ODI series against India and will miss the entire Pakistan series. Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse return to the pace attack, while Ben Duckett keeps the wicketkeeping gloves.
Pakistan’s Squad: Babar Azam’s Second Act as Captain
Babar Azam takes back the Test captaincy for both the West Indies and England assignments, ending Shan Masood’s difficult tenure. Masood retains his place as a specialist batter in both squads despite losing the leadership role. Pakistan’s 17-member squad for England includes four uncapped players: left-arm spinner Ali Usman, batter Muhammad Awais Zafar, fast bowler Ubaid Shah and wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, all in contention for their first Test caps.
Saud Shakeel is included as the 17th squad member subject to passing a fitness test. Batter Abdullah Shafique was added as a mid-series replacement for the injured Abdullah Fazal and was subsequently named Player of the Week after scoring an unbeaten 160 against West Indies, a timely form boost heading into the England leg. Mohammad Rizwan continues as wicketkeeper.
What’s at Stake in the World Test Championship
Pakistan’s ninth-place WTC standing makes this series close to must-win territory if they want to stay in contention for the next final. England, by contrast, are rebuilding an identity after Stokes’s captaincy ended and Bazball’s swashbuckling approach faces its first real test under a more measured leader in Root, who averages among the highest of any specialist batter in the format but now carries the added weight of tactical decisions.
The series also marks a generational handover on both sides. Root leads a batting order light on the senior experience that defined England’s red-ball cricket for a decade, while Babar returns to a Pakistan side searching for the consistency that eluded them under Masood. Neither team can afford a slow start given how congested the WTC table has become in this cycle.
