Have England pulled an ace by playing mind games with Pakistan and pushing them into fielding three spinners on a pitch which could end up not being a slow bowlers paradise at the Rawalpindi cricket stadium?

Pakistan has retained its spin-heavy team for Thursday’s series-deciding third test against England as both sides anticipate another dry wicket that will suit the slow bowlers.

England have included three spinners in their team for their third and final test match against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, with Rehan Ahmed being recalled, the England and Wales cricket board (ECB) said on Tuesday.

Ben Stokes has already suffered one defeat in Rawalpindi this week, but a bigger prize is on offer in the final Test, writes Stephan Shemilt.

Pakistan will field an unchanged starting eleven from the one that beat England by 152 runs in the second Test for the final game in Rawalpindi. The PCB announced the side one day after England confirmed a change in their bowling combination to match the triple-spin attack that proved successful for Pakistan in Multan.

England have included three spinners in their team for their third and final test match against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, with Rehan Ahmed being recalled, the England and Wales cricket board (ECB) said on Tuesday.

England captain Ben Stokes believes the series-deciding third Test against Pakistan starting Thursday will boil down to a spin battle on a Rawalpindi pitch likely to favour slow bowlers.

England prepare to take on Pakistan in a decider third Test at Rawalpindi, but this time around the hosts think they have found the means to unravel Bazball: a spinning pitch. Rawalpindi is traditionally among the flattest pitches in world cricket,

Thereafter, however, England mustered 224 for 18 wickets in the remainder of the match, as they ran smack into a pinpoint one-two combo from Pakistan's spinners, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali. Ordinarily,