Pakistan will face England in the second T20I of the four-match series at Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham, on Saturday in preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.
The four-match series serves as a unique opportunity for both sides to find the right combination for the T20 World Cup 2024 which will be played in the United States and West Indies from June 1.
England and Pakistan locked horns in the latest T20 World Cup 2022 final at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) where the former emerged winners after an astonishing match of cricket. As England begin their title defence, the Green Shirts will be eying to lift the title for the first time since 2009.
Pakistan recently played two T20I series, New Zealand at home and Ireland away. While the Green Shirts managed to draw the first and win the second series, the problems in their squad were evident as they couldn’t defeat a relatively weak Black Caps side despite having a full-strength squad.
They also lost one match against Ireland with a strong team. With players like Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan, Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed and others in the squad, who are capable of turning the match around in a few balls, the Men in Green need to sort out their combination.
Moreover, Shaheen Afridi's recent form has been a significant boost for Pakistan. The ace fast bowler, who was dismissed as Pakistan's T20I captain after a brief stint, had not been performing at his best until his recent exploits against New Zealand and Ireland helped him regain his confidence.
On the other hand, prominent England stars such as Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, and Moeen Ali are returning from IPL 2024, where they delivered outstanding individual performances.
With Salt's impact as an opener and Jonny Bairstow back in the mix, it will be intriguing to see how England arrange their playing XI. They have an abundance of options, which is undoubtedly a good headache for England.
Pacer Jofra Archer is returning after a gap of 14 months, and this will be a crucial test for the forgotten hero to secure his place on a regular basis ahead of the mega event.
Likely lineups
Pakistan: Usman Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Azam Khan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir
England: Jos Buttler (c), Phil Salt (wk), Will Jacks, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Reece Topley
Prediction
Both sides have firepower in their ranks but considering the home advantage, England is expected to take a 1-0 lead in this series with two more matches to go after the first match was called off due to rain.