England Drop Dan Lawrence for Pakistan Tour, Add New Faces

England have left batter Dan Lawrence out of their squad for the upcoming tour of Pakistan, naming a 17-man squad that includes debutants Jordan Cox and Brydon Carse. Captain Ben Stokes returns after missing the recent series against Sri Lanka due to a hamstring injury, and opener Zak Crawley also makes a return following a broken finger.

Lawrence, who was given a chance to open in Crawley's absence, struggled with only one notable score of 35 in six innings during the Sri Lanka series. Cox, 23, provides additional batting and wicketkeeping options and is set to make his T20 debut against Australia. Carse, 29, brings pace to the squad and is returning after a ban for historic gambling offences.

Jack Leach and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed are included, while Tom Hartley is omitted despite his previous appearances. The squad features six frontline seamers, including Josh Hull, who debuted in the Sri Lanka series. Chris Woakes returns to the Test squad for the first time since 2022.

Mark Wood is absent due to an elbow injury, and there are concerns over the fitness of Stokes and Atkinson. Venue uncertainty looms, with Karachi's stadium likely unavailable due to construction. The series may be held entirely in Pakistan, possibly with two Tests in Rawalpindi.

England's last visit to Pakistan in 2022 saw them achieve a historic 3-0 series sweep.