Pakistan have arrived in England ready to kick off their limited-overs tour with a one-off T20 International against their hosts at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.
England have been rocked by the Alex Hales scandal, with the opener suspended for 21 days for testing positive for the use of a recreational drug.
Sunday 5 May
Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
15:30
To Win Match
England 57/100
Tie 35/1
Pakistan 14/10
England
Apart from the removal of Alex Hales, England’s squad for the single T20I has endured three other late alterations. Jason Roy and Mark Wood were withdrawn from the group as part of workload management schemes, while Sam Billings dislocated his shoulder and has been replaced by Ben Foakes. Foakes will take the gloves in the absence of Jos Buttler or Jonny Bairstow.
Until Hales’ suspensio,n all attention had been focused on the England debut of Caribbean-born white-ball prospect Jofra Archer. The all-rounder has been the focus of an eligibility debate and has prompted the England and Wales Cricket Board to shorten the waiting period for foreign-born players keen on switching allegiances.
The batsmen withdrawn from the squad have been replaced by James Vince, Dawid Malan and Ben Duckett. Each has something to prove in an England shirt. Vince comes into the series in top form, having struck 190 off 150 balls in a domestic One-day Cup match, but he has enjoyed limited success on the international stage. Duckett comes back into the group for the first time since he was sent home from an England Lions tour after dumping a drink on James Anderson in Australia. Malan will be eager to press for an ODI recall, with one spot up for grabs in the World Cup squad thanks to Hales.
In a squad packed with all-rounders, much intrigue centres around the balance of the XI. England have picked six top-order batsmen. Of that number, Malan and Joe Denly offer something with the ball. That is, of course, if you don’t count Joe Root’s round-arm filth. With just one specialist spinner in the squad, it is almost nailed on that Denly will play.
Pakistan
Pakistan’s preparation for the one-off match has also suffered some disruption, as Shadab Khan went down with a virus leading to Yasir Shah being recalled to the T20I squad. Veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik was withdrawn from the squad due to an undisclosed personal issue.
The squad is identical to the ODI group – and as such the team will probably not be what would be considered Pakistan’s strongest T20I XI. The T20I will serve as a warm-up for the ODI series, which in turn is intended to help Pakistan tune up for the World Cup.
Mohammad Amir has been left out of the World Cup squad, but included in the 16-man party for the bilateral limited-overs series in England and Wales. The left-arm quick’s erratic form and checkered past is not being adequately off-set by his prodigious talent.
Pakistan enjoyed a dominant 2018 in T20I cricket, winning all six of the series they played, including a tri-series triumph over Zimbabwe and Australia. In 2019, though, they have yet to attain lift-off after being comfortably beaten by the Proteas in January.
Verdict: England 57/100
Home ground advantage should be the telling factor against a rusty Pakistan.
Written by @JonhenryWilson
