Fast bowler Jofra Archer, who plays for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, will look to continue his impressive run in international cricket when England host Pakistan in a three-match Test series starting on Wednesday.
The opening England vs Pakistan 2026 Test will be played at Headingley in Leeds from August 19 before the action moves to Lord's in London and Edgbaston in Birmingham.
Live streaming and telecast of the ENG vs PAK Test 2026 series will be available in India.
The series will mark England's first Test assignment since Joe Root returned to the captaincy following Ben Stokes' retirement.
It will also form part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle, with England currently seventh in the standings and Pakistan eighth.
Archer has been in a rich vein of form for England across formats. The right-arm quick was named Player of the Series against New Zealand in June after taking 11 wickets in two Tests despite missing the opening match.
The pacer followed that up with seven wickets in the T20I series against India, finishing as the joint-leading wicket-taker as England won the five-match contest 4-0. His best performance came at Trent Bridge, where figures of 3/29 earned him the Player of the Match award in the third T20I.
Archer's impressive international run followed a stellar IPL 2026 campaign with Rajasthan Royals. He finished as the team's leading wicket-taker with 25 scalps in 16 matches and played a pivotal role in the Royals' run to the playoffs.
The 31-year-old pacer has taken 71 wickets in 20 Tests for England since making his debut in 2019, including four five-wicket hauls. Archer has featured in two Tests against Pakistan, claiming four wickets with best figures of 3/59.
Pakistan, meanwhile, head into the series on the back of a seven-wicket victory over the PCC XI in their tour match, successfully chasing a target of 264 on the final day.
Babar Azam suffered an injury during the practice match and remains doubtful for the opening Test.
England vs Pakistan Test head-to-head
England and Pakistan have played 92 Tests, with England winning 30 and Pakistan emerging victorious in 23. A total of 39 matches have ended in draws.
The two teams last met in a Test series in 2024, when Pakistan won the three-match home series 2-1.
Pakistan will be playing a Test series in England for the first time in six years. On their previous tour in 2020, England won the three-match series 1-0.
Where to watch England vs Pakistan Test 2026 live in India
Live streaming of the England vs Pakistan Test 2026 series will be available on SonyLIV. The ENG vs PAK Test matches will be available on the Sony Ten 5 and Sony Ten 5 HD TV channels in India.
England vs Pakistan Test 2026 series schedule
All times in Indian Standard Time (IST)
- August 19-23: England vs Pakistan 1st Test, Headingley, Leeds - 3:30 PM
- August 27-31: England vs Pakistan 2nd Test, Lord's, London - 3:30 PM
- September 9-13: England vs Pakistan 3rd Test, Edgbaston, Birmingham - 3:30 PM
England vs Pakistan Test 2026 squads
England cricket team: Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue.
Pakistan cricket team: Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah.
