Illness leaves England struggling to make up numbers

• Published date: 02 December 2022

More than half of the XI named by Ben Stokes on Wednesday, including the captain himself, were unable to net yesterday after falling ill. Around 14 members of the touring group, players and backroom staff, were unwell and confined to the hotel. If the match had been due to start yesterday, England would have been unable to field a team

It led to talks between officials from the two boards and the match referee, Andy Pycroft, over the possibility of delaying the match by 24 hours. The Pakistan Cricket Board was not keen, having sold 15,000 tickets for day one and arranged for heavy security to close the roads around the ground.

It was agreed that a final decision would be made today at the team hotel in Islamabad when the England medical staff assessed the squad and determined who was able to play. Both boards agreed to delay the game if not enough players were well enough to take the field.

Even if the game did go ahead, England would be carrying players struggling to recover their strength after a debilitating 24 hours.

“I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. It is horrible. Running on and off the field all the time,” said Joe Root, one of five players to train yesterday and who has been taken ill while batting in the past in Australia...