The capricious weather of England has once again dashed the hopes of cricket enthusiasts, assuming the role of the villain in the series opener. However, with fewer chances of rain in the upcoming fixture, England is all set to clash with visitors Pakistan in the second game of the 4-match T20I series, scheduled at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Saturday.
Following the washout of the first match due to persistent rain in Leeds, both teams led by Jos Buttler for England and Babar Azam for Pakistan, are now left with only three T20I encounters before their departure to West Indies and the USA for the all-important ICC Men’s T20I World Cup 2024. Ahead of the global tournament, both sides are keen to solidify their winning combinations through this thrilling series.
With 19 out of 20 teams having already unveiled their 2024 ICC T20 World Cup squads, it’s only Pakistan that is yet to finalize their 15-man roster, awaiting the outcome of the first T20I match. However, with the unfortunate abandonment of the initial game, Pakistan now faces the challenge of revealing their squad before Saturday’s showdown, without the opportunity to test their optimal combination.
In terms of major team news, England’s Jofra Archer will make his return to the T20I format after a 14-month hiatus. Meanwhile, with Haris Rauf regaining full match fitness after being out of action since February, the management has decided to release Hasan Ali from the squad.
What have they done so far?
The defending T20I World champions, England, were last seen competing in the shortest format of the game back in December last year against West Indies in the Caribbean Islands. The gripping 5-match T20I series culminated with a scoreline of 3-2 in favor of the Windies, with the last match serving as the series decider, where the hosts emerged victorious with a 4-wicket win.
Prior to their encounter with West Indies, the Matthew Mott-coached side also faced New Zealand at home in September 2023 in a 4-match T20I series, which concluded with a result of 2-2. The home team started the series on a positive note, clinching victory in the first two matches, but the Blackcaps, rallying from behind, secured wins in the last two games.
Meanwhile, Pakistan recently engaged in two 20-over series against New Zealand and Ireland. Against the Blackcaps at home in the 5 T20I matches, Pakistan managed to salvage a draw in the series, finishing 2-2 as one match resulted in no outcome.
In Dublin, during a three-match T20I series, the home team Ireland stunned Pakistan with a five-wicket victory in the first game. However, the visitors made a comeback, winning the next two matches to clinch the series.
Head to Head Record
In the 30 past T20I encounters between these two heavyweights, England boasts a superior record, having won 19 times, leaving the Men in Green with only 9 victories. Additionally, two T20I games between them have been called off, including the most recent one.
Key Players
Will Jacks (England): Enjoying prime form with the bat, England’s top-order batsman Will Jacks poses a significant threat to Pakistan in the upcoming game. Jacks, who recently showcased his talent for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League 2024, delivered outstanding performances in the tournament.
The Surrey-born batsman amassed 230 runs in 8 matches, boasting an impressive average and strike rate of 32.85 and 175.57 respectively, including one half-century and one century. Additionally, Jacks, who is quite handy with the ball, can also bowl tight spells for his team, as demonstrated earlier in the IPL.
Babar holds the record for the most 50-plus scores in T20I cricket
Babar Azam (Pakistan): Pakistan’s captain and star batsman, Babar Azam, will undoubtedly be the player to watch out for at Edgbaston. Currently the second-highest T20I run-scorer this year, Babar has smashed 470 runs in 12 innings, with an average of 39.17 and a strike rate of 142.85, embellished by 6 fifties.
Currently ranked fourth in the ICC T20I rankings, Babar is now just 45 runs shy of becoming only the third player to score 4000 runs in T20Is, a milestone he might achieve at Edgbaston.
Predicted XIs
England: Jos Buttler © (wk), Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Reece Topley
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam ©, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Azam Khan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir
Prediction
Given that England is playing in their home conditions, the Englishmen could hold a slight edge in winning the second T20I. However, the Gary Kirsten-coached side is also capable of delivering a fighting punch, as T20I matches are characterized by uncertainties.