Four key match-ups in Pakistan-England Test series

Test encounters between Pakistan and England have often been defined by player-on-player showdowns which inject added drama into the already heated confrontation.

Ahead of their three-match series starting Monday in Multan, AFP Sports looks at four key match-ups set to entertain:

- Shaheen Shah Afridi vs Ben Duckett -

Pakistan's pace spearhead was sidelined with a knee injury when England inflicted a 3-0 clean sweep in 2022. This time he has a chance to halt England's juggernauts led by opener Duckett.

The left-hander smashed a brilliant century on the Test's opening day two years ago as England amassed a first-day world record of 506-4 -- blazing a trail for Pakistan's first-ever home whitewash.

Duckett has proven capable of upsetting any bowler with his aggression straight out of the gate.

But Shaheen's lethal yorkers and swing with a new ball regularly put brakes on the scoring rate and secure wickets up front.

Watch out as the pair tussle for control.

- Babar Azam vs Rehan Ahmed -

Two years ago, Ahmed was just 18 when he became the youngest England bowler to take a five-wicket haul on debut against Pakistan in Karachi.

Now matured, he is likely to face down Pakistan star batter Azam -- one of his victims back in 2022.

Ahmed's googly could prolong Azam's run drought, with Pakistani looking to rediscover his touch to counter the wiley spinner.

Azam quit his white-ball captaincy this week to focus on his role at the crease.

His showdown with Ahmed will be the first test of whether he can return to form.

- Joe Root vs Abrar Ahmed -

Root has a phenomenal record as England's top batter -- soon set to break former skipper Alistair Cook's career record of more than 12,000 Test runs.

But in the 2022 tour, it was spinner Abrar who dismissed Root in each innings of the second Test in Multan for low scores of 8 and 21.

Nonetheless, Root holds the record for most hundreds for England with 34, achieving half of them over the past four years.

Pakistan will rely on Abrar for slow and turning wickets. A spin duel between the pair will be a clash to watch.

- Ben Stokes vs Naseem Shah -

The Stokes-Shah showdown lit up the Twenty20 World Cup final in Melbourne in November 2022, with the batter surviving Shah's lethal spell and hitting a fighting half-century to secure England's triumph.

But barely a month later the rivalry was renewed in Rawalpindi stadium as Shah bowled Stokes for 41 on the day when England piled up its record haul.

Shah missed the next two Tests with a shoulder injury. But when the three-match series starts next week he will have more experience and better fitness -- although the contest could be delayed as Stokes races to overcome a hamstring niggle in time for the first Test.

If he's ready, Stokes will have to overcome a fiery Shah looking to push him to the hilt.