ABOUT THE MATCH:
The relationship, the inseparable link between England and the rain persisted in Manchester as the third consecutive match was marred by unfavorable conditions. For England, there was another unfavorable mess going around like Pakistan, for whatever time the game was played minus Tom Banton’s belligerence, the stronger side looked.
The opening game for the tourists could have been better off if it wasn’t for Iftikar Ahmed ‘s mistake in the slips when Banton struggled to find his feet at a score of five, who eventually chastized the opponent with 71 off 42. There have been plenty to speak about the good for Pakistan. Of course, the bowlers had to bear the wrath of a 21-year-old, but the spinners were well on their way to the collapse, as England lost 4 wickets for 14 runs in a span of around 3 overs.
England has a reputation for playing spin well, but none of their top-notch and fine-grained shooters – Jos Buttler, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes – are in the squad for this series. Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan are two excellent spinners, but England will and should be disappointed not to put enough price on their wickets. The batsmen, with the exception of Banton, were not in a position to cut loose against the fast bowlers either as Pakistan’s two left-arm quicks were pleasingly economical.
The current series has lost a lot of significance to the pandemic, in the absence of which it would have been the preparation of the T20 World Cup. However, with that coming next year, the time is right for two teams to introspect and polish themselves over the small chances they have. Provided England’s proactivity, they ‘re sure to try to do that in the second game in Manchester on Sunday.
Teams & Players’ performance Analysis:
Even though all of England’s wickets fell to spinners, Tom Banton’s bat showed that good cricket would be rewarded. And so both teams reaped the rewards because they were technically smarter than their rival. Dampness and humidity are evident considering the way the weather has been in the last few days.
The outfield in the last game was just perfect, no matter what the hopes were that it was hard. The same thing can be predicted today. The outlook is better than it was the last time, and hopefully we should have a complete game. While it is foolish to make assumptions about the weather in England.
Team Combinations:
Pakistan:
The tourists made a significant statement by selecting the experience of youth as they went with Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik, though Haider Ali skipped it. With the game washed out, however, the trick was not put to the test and thus the same combination can be anticipated in this game.
The spotlights will be at the top of the stage, as Babar Azam will be seen opening with Fakhar Zaman. With Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, and Mohammad Rizwan alongside veterans Hafeez and Malik, Pakistan ‘s order definitely looks better than its adversaries.
Interestingly, Wahab Riaz sat out for the opening game as Haris Rauf was in the eleven. Although he conceded 32 of his 3 overs, Rauf failed to justify Riaz’s exclusion, and therefore Pakistan may want to give the left-wing pacer a hand in this game. Mohammad Amir and Shaheen Afridi, aside from an occasional occasion or two, looked subtle in their spells. Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim, both of whom have chosen a pair, look forward to doing the same thing.
Predicted XI: Babar Azam (C), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Wahab Riaz/Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir
England:
Jonny Bairstow must be frustrated by the way he threw his wicket and must be able to make up for the loss in this game. Dawid Malan continued his slow start as he tried to anchor the innings around Tom Banton. Eoin Morgan played a few stunning shots before he struggled to take a bank on his launch.
Interestingly, England chose Lewis Gregory over David Willey, who had a rather strong run against Ireland earlier this month. Even though Imad Wasim had finally gotten the best of him. Moeen Ali didn’t get a hand on the ball though he didn’t make any significant contribution to the bat.
Sam Billings and Chris Jordan were in the center when the rain started playing and they’re going to play their respective roles in this game. Given Adil Rashid ‘s ability to vary the flight and perform well with his leg-spin, he is defaulting to Old Trafford.
Predicted 11: Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Sam Billings, Moeen Ali, Lewis Gregory, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood.
Probable Top Performers:
Tom Banton – England | Babar Azam – Pakistan
Broadcast Details:
Match Timings– 6:45 PM (IST), 2:15 PM (local).
TV– Sony Six, Sony Six HD
Live Streaming– Sony Liv
After suffering defeats in test match and the opening match of T20 series, the prediction is for Pakistan to win the match.
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