Babar Azam Says He Is Ready for Lord's Test Despite Injury
Listen to the story
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has said he is ready to play in the second Test against England, despite carrying an injury.
The match will take place at Lord's, one of the most famous cricket grounds in the world, located in London.
Babar Azam told reporters that he is currently around 90 percent fit for the Lord's Test.
However, there is still suspense about whether he will actually take the field, as his condition has not been fully confirmed.
A fitness test will be held in the nets tomorrow to decide if he can play.
Reports also suggest that Pakistan could include two spinners in their playing eleven for this match.
This is the second Test in the series between England and Pakistan, and Babar Azam's fitness has become a major talking point.
Fans and experts are closely watching the situation, as the captain's presence could affect Pakistan's strategy for the match.
The team management is expected to make a final decision after the nets session, based on how Babar Azam performs during practice.
Vocabulary8 words
- Babar Azam
- the captain of Pakistan's cricket team
- Lord's
- a very famous cricket ground in London
- fit
- healthy and ready to play a sport
- suspense
- a feeling of not knowing what will happen next
- nets
- a practice area where cricket players train
- spinners
- bowlers who make the ball turn in the air or off the ground
- series
- a group of matches played between two teams
- strategy
- a plan used to win a game
Quiz
Answer key
1. He is the captain 2. Lord's 3. A fitness test in the nets
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Pakistan captain _____ has said he is ready to play in the second Test against England, despite carrying an injury.
The match will take place at _____, one of the most famous cricket grounds in the world.
Babar Azam told reporters that he is currently around _____ percent fit for the Lord's Test.
However, there is still _____ about whether he will actually take the field.
A fitness test will be held in the _____ tomorrow to decide if he can play.
Reports also suggest that Pakistan could include two _____ in their playing eleven for this match.
This is the second Test in the _____ between England and Pakistan.
The team management is expected to make a final decision after the nets session, based on how Babar Azam performs during practice.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think fitness tests are important before big matches?
- How might a captain's injury affect a whole team's performance?
- Do you think players should play even if they are not 100 percent fit? Why or why not?
- What qualities do you think make a good cricket captain?