Written by: Waseem Abbas
Posted on: May 22, 2024 | 
| 中文
Haris Rauf celebrates after taking a wicket against England (Picture credits to ESPNcricinfo)
In its last series before the T20 World Cup, Pakistan is set to play a four-match T20 series against the defending champions, England. The T20 World Cup 2024, which is scheduled from the 2nd to the 29th of June in the United States of America and West Indies, will include twenty teams from across the world. Pakistan is yet to announce its squad for the World Cup, as it will select its final squad of 15 members from the 18 players selected for the upcoming England series.
Babar playing a shot against Ireland in the recently concluded series
The selection of openers in T20 cricket has been a bone of contention for team Pakistan since the arrival of flamboyant Saim Ayub at the international level. The established pair of Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan was broken to adjust the young southpaw, who has failed to grab the opportunities offered to him. Saim is yet to score a T20I fifty, and has only scored 284 runs in 20 T20Is, with an average of a mere 15.77 and a strike rate of just above 130. There is no doubt that Saim belongs to international cricket, as his T20 numbers would testify, but he needs to score more consistently to claim a spot in the team. Despite his inconsistency, Saim deserves the management’s support and hopefully, he will come through in the series against England and the World Cup. Moreover, his off-spin bowling is an additional cushion for the team. Azam Khan’s blistering knocks of 30 not out off 10 balls and 18 not out off 6 balls against Ireland, in the recently concluded series indicate that if talent is given enough support, they come good at the end. Before these knocks, Azam had just scored 29 runs in 9 matches at a mediocre average of 4.14, and below par strike rate of 85.29. After just two blazing knocks, his average now has jumped to 11 and the strike rate has soared to 154. These youngsters need the management’s support and encouragement as they have the talent and skills required to help Pakistan win megaevents. Stats do change with time, as Muhammad Rizwan aptly said about his batting average of over 50: “If you look at the average, you are an average player”.
Saim Ayub and Babar Azam
Playing Rizwan and Saim as openers means that Babar and Fakhar will occupy the other top-order positions, who have done remarkably well in the numbers 3 and 4. Since he started batting at number three in January this year, Babar Azam has scored 345 runs in eight innings at an average of 43.125 and a strike rate of 144.351. Similarly, after being demoted to bat at number four since the New Zealand series in January earlier this year, Fakhar Zaman has scored 328 runs in nine innings at an astounding strike rate of 154.77 and average of 36.44, which is a good omen for Pakistan. Azam at five and Iftikhar Ahmed at six, complete the Pakistan batting lineup, which will be followed by two all-rounders Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan. Imad has returned to the national team after an astonishing PSL performance and has bowled economical spells against New Zealand and Ireland in the recently concluded series. Shadab appears to be out of form recently in national colors, but he bagged the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award in the PSL this year, and has done well in past World Cups as well.
Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah and Fakhar Zaman
After being removed from captaincy, Shaheen has claimed 15 wickets in 7 matches at an unbelievable average of 11.26 and a meager economy of 7.40. Abbas Afridi has taken 16 wickets in his 9-match international career at an average of a mere 16.50 and an economy of 9.15, which is a good sign for Pakistan. Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Muhammad Amir are other fast bowlers supporting Shaheen and Abbas. Naseem's recent performances at the international level are not up to the mark, especially his wicket-taking skill is missing, but his pace and the ability to swing the new ball both ways make him an exciting prospect for the England series as well as the World Cup. Haris is currently nursing an injury, and it is yet unclear whether he will be fully fit for the World Cup. Muhammad Amir has yet to give a spellbound performance since his international return, but the experienced pacer is equipped with all the tools and tricks necessary to succeed at this level.
Shaheen Shah Afridi celebrate after taking a wicket
England team has announced the squad for the Pakistan series and the World Cup simultaneously, and it is a good sign for the Pakistan team that it is facing a full-strength team after a long time. England team has recalled its players from the Indian Premier League (IPL) to play the Pakistan series. England captain Joss Buttler, Moeen Ali, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Recce Topley, Jhonny Bairstow, Phil Salt and Sam Curran have reached England from India to play against Pakistan, in order to prepare for the World Cup. England, which was the winner of the last T20 World Cup, boasts a strong squad, comprising swashbuckling batters, experienced spinners and quick fast bowlers.
England's Phil Salt trying to complete a run out against Pakistan's Shadab Khan
The batting lineup of England is scary, to say the least, as players like Buttler, Jacks, Salt, Bairstow, Livingstone, Moeen and Curran all can hit the ball out of the park comfortably. There is no escape for opposition bowlers while facing the English batters. It is difficult to believe that players like Will Jacks and Ben Duckett might not find a place in the playing eleven.
The return of Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan will strengthen the English fast bowling unit, which includes the likes of Reece Topley, Mark Wood and Sam Curran. The express pace of the English players is something to be wary of, as Archer, Topley, Wood and Jordan can all bowl over 150 KPH. Its spin bowling department, however, does not look threatening, as it mostly comprises of allrounders, barring the experienced leg spinner Adil Rashid.
Team England
The first game of the Pak-Eng series is scheduled on the 22nd of May in Leeds, the second on the 25th in Birmingham, the third on the 28th in Cardiff, and the last match of the series on the 30th of May at the Oval, London.
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