Pakistan eye series win

Pakistan's third and final Test against England from Sunday could be a fitting farewell for Misbah-ul-Haq, the country's most successful captain who is mulling his future.

The 41-year-old had suggested that he would leave the game after a two-Test series against India in December.

But with relations between the arch-rivals once again strained and with that series in doubt, this series may be Misbah's last.

"I was trying to make a decision before this Test but now I have just left it," Misbah said Saturday.

"I will really think about what I should do because there is a long gap before our next series," Misbah added, referring to Pakistan's next series in England in July next year.

Pakistan are 1-0 up against England after winning the second Test by 178 runs in Dubai. The first Test ended in a draw in Abu Dhabi.

A 2-0 series win will lift Pakistan to number two in the ICC Test rankings.

Misbah's personal form and fitness suggest he can carry on but he said a player should leave the game on a high.

"One should think about leaving the game with respect rather than leaving it when he is forced to leave," said Misbah.

Pakistan will bring in Azhar Ali to open in place of Shan Masood.

England skipper Alastair Cook said changes would be decided later, with a third spinner Samit Patel in the reckoning as England already have three pacers in James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes.

If England, currently third in the rankings, lose the series 2-0 they will drop to as low as sixth.

PAKISTAN: Misbah (captain), Shehzad, Masood, Azhar, Hafeez, Alam, Shafiq, Younis, Malik, Sarfraz, Shah, Babar, Riaz, Ali, Junaid, Bilal, Rizwan

ENGLAND: Cook (capt), Ali, Anderson, Patel, Bairstow, Bell, Broad, Buttler, Jordan, Hales, Plunkett, Rashid, Root, Stokes, Taylor