After a 0-3 loss in England, Babar Azam returns to first-class cricket in Peshawar

Pakistan's tour of England ended 0-3. England chased 130 at Edgbaston for the loss of two wickets, with Joe Root (62 not out) and Jordan Cox (59 not out) finishing it before lunch on the fourth day, after wins at Headingley and Lord's.

Four days later, the Test captain is heading home to play domestic first-class cricket for the first time in almost seven years.

Where Babar Azam plays next

Babar has signed with OGDCL for the President's Trophy Grade-I, according to ProPakistani and Cricinfo.

• 16 September: flies back from the UK.
• 17 September: joins the OGDCL squad.
• 18 September onwards: OGDCL v Kingsmen Academy, Peshawar.
• 24 September onwards: OGDCL v Khan Research Laboratories.

He will decide on arrival which of the two games he plays first. OGDCL's sports head Farah Batool told ProPakistani his kit had already been ordered.

His last domestic first-class match was in December 2019, when he led Central Punjab to the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title with an innings win over Northern on 30 December. The move follows the PCB's push for established internationals to play first-class cricket at home.

What the England series showed

England's seamers set the tone. Ollie Robinson was player of the series with 21 wickets at 8.76, a number that shows how rarely Pakistan's batting held together in English conditions.

There was one bright spot on the final Friday. Debutant fast bowler Razaullah Khan hit a quick 81 that lifted Pakistan's second innings and left England a target of 130. It did not change the result, but it gave the selectors a name to remember.

Babar was reappointed Test captain in July. His record in charge since then reads a 1-1 draw against West Indies and this 0-3 loss.

Why this matters for fans in Pakistan

• Home Tests are next. Pakistan host Sri Lanka in two World Test Championship matches: 9 to 13 November in Rawalpindi and 17 to 21 November in Lahore.
• Domestic cricket gets a star. A President's Trophy game in Peshawar with Babar in the XI is a rare chance to watch him in red-ball cricket at home.
• WTC standing. Three defeats with no points in England leave Pakistan needing wins at home to stay relevant in the 2025-27 cycle.

What to watch in Peshawar

Look for how long Babar bats, not just the score. Seven weeks before the Sri Lanka series, the point of this stint is time at the crease in the longer format. If he plays both OGDCL games, he could have up to four first-class innings behind him before the Rawalpindi Test.

Overseas fans planning a trip home for the Rawalpindi or Lahore Tests can budget in their own currency with our currency converter, and check the live dollar rate.