Pakistan vs England: Ben Stokes hopes for series win in Rawalpindi

Ben Stokes has already suffered a defeat in Rawalpindi.

Mano a mano with England coach Brendon McCullum, the captain was coached in a six-stroke competition, just as he was before the last Test in Pakistan two years ago.

Stokes called for a stewards' investigation into Paul Collingwood's throw, which seemed rather questionable.

The surprise overall winner was Rehan Ahmed, who beat Harry Brook in the final (special mention goes to the powerful punches from Joe Root and Jamie Smith).

It was the continuation of a good week for Ahmed, remembered as the third spinner on a pitch that has attracted the most attention since England's last Test.

It was a cakewalk for Pakistan to win the second Test in Multan and they have tried to repeat the trick for the decider, which begins on Thursday.

The industrial fans, heaters, and windshields used to dry the surface suggest someone maxed out their credit card at a hardware store.

Most intriguing are the lines drawn along the entire length of the strip, possibly by a rake or even a bed of nails. The pitch remains hard and a collision can cause damage to the ankles.

The consensus seems to be that it will be good for batting in the first part of the game, making the toss slightly less important than the second Test. Good news for England considering they have lost seven in a row.

“Initially I think it will be a good pitch but the longer it goes on the more spin will come into play,” Stokes told BBC Sport.

“Fair play to them for taking advantage of their home advantage. They had a good win and have confident spinners, so they will look to give them more support here. That could put us in the game too.”