Pakistan vs England: Olly Stone Set to Leave Pakistan Tour, Doubtful for Second Test, Know Why

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England fast bowler Olly Stone is set to leave the ongoing Pakistan tour and fly back to the UK ahead of his wedding this weekend. Stone, who was part of England's squad for the three-match Test series, was not selected for the playing XI in the first Test in Multan.

This frees him to depart earlier than initially planned. With the second Test set to begin on October 15, Stone's availability remains doubtful as his return date has yet to be confirmed. Stone made his return to England's Test side earlier this year.

He took seven wickets in two matches against Sri Lanka after a three-year absence from the format. However, for the Multan Test, England opted for Brydon Carse as their pace option, alongside Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson, which left Stone on the bench.

The team management, including coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key, had been aware of Stone's wedding plans before the tour, and were happy to accommodate his departure. "We booked the wedding on the basis of me only playing for Notts at the time," Stone told the BBC.

"Jess [Stone's fiancée] said she was happy to move the wedding, but I was adamant on keeping it where it was if possible. For what she has given up and sacrificed for me, I thought the least I could do was to try and make it work," He added.

Stone's return to the England squad was a significant moment in his career, but his wedding, scheduled long before his recall, took precedence. The fast bowler expressed his gratitude for the support from the team management and his fiancée.

Former England captain Joe Root extended his best wishes to Stone, saying, "It's a special time in anyone's life. I'm really excited for him. I'm sure he is all over the place with everything that's going on, but it'll be very special for him-and his wife-starting a different chapter in his life."

"We'll all be raising a cold water to him at some point, celebrating," Root added. England will now assess the fitness and form of their other fast bowlers after the first Test before deciding if Stone will be required to return for the remainder of the series.