Pakistan are set to lock horns with England in a tricky Super 8 clash at the T20 World Cup on Tuesday. Salman Agha’s men did not get the ideal start, with their opening game against New Zealand washed out by rain. From here on, they can ill afford a slip-up, as a defeat would leave them in a precarious position ahead of their final group match against Sri Lanka.
The Super 8 Group 2 match between England and Pakistan will be played at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. The match will get underway at 7 pm IST. JioHotstar and Star Sports will provide livestreaming and TV coverage of the match.
England, meanwhile, have endured a few nervy moments but remain firmly in contention. They scraped into the Super 8s after close calls against Italy and Nepal, before putting on a strong show with a convincing 51-run win over Sri Lanka. For England, this fixture offers an opportunity to seal a semi-final spot with a game to spare.
PAKISTAN LOOK TO DEFY HISTORY
Going into the next game, Pakistan don’t have history in their favour, having lost all their three games against England in T20 World Cup history. But given England’s vulnerabilities, Pakistan will fancy their chances. In the pre-match press conference, Sahibzada Farhan said that Pakistan are not fussed about past records and would want to give England a tough time.
“Yes, definitely. As you mentioned, the rain was not in our control. And while we didn’t get a win, the morale in our camp is very high. The boys are confident. You know this is T20 cricket — the format is unpredictable. Like you saw in the match last night, results can change quickly. Our confidence remains strong, and our batsmen have performed well here. We believe we can give them a tough fight,” Farhan said.
ENGLAND LOOK FOR THE PERFECT GAME
For England, performances have been short of their best, but their current form has still been enough to carry them this far. Against Sri Lanka, their batting struggled, managing only 146. Apart from Phil Salt, who scored 62, none of the other batters were able to make a significant contribution.
It was largely due to the efforts of their spinners and early breakthroughs from Jofra Archer that England were able to secure the win. However, they are aware that there is room for improvement, with Liam Dawson admitting in the pre-match press conference that the side needs to play better cricket going forward.
“Of course, we know we can play much better than we have so far. But in tournament cricket, the most important thing is getting the win, no matter how it looks. Today, we probably didn’t bat as well as we would have liked. However, the fight we showed with the ball and in the field proves that this team is in a very good place,” Dawson said.
THE TARIQ FACTOR
England are not placing special emphasis on mystery spinner Usman Tariq, who has been Pakistan’s standout bowler in the tournament with eight wickets at an economy rate of 5.82. However, Liam Dawson said England are focusing on Pakistan as a complete unit rather than concentrating on one individual player.
“It’s not all about Tariq,” Dawson said. “They’re a very good team with some dangerous players and Tariq’s obviously a very good bowler. But we’re not going to just look at him. We’ll look at the whole team and see how we can nullify them.”
Pakistan have played four completed matches so far and delivered convincing performances only against the United States and Namibia, while struggling against India and the Netherlands.
Harry Brook’s England may not have hit top gear yet, but they know that one strong performance could push them a step closer and potentially make them the first side to seal a semi-final spot.
ENG vs PAK: HEAD-TO-HEAD
England have dominated Pakistan in T20Is, winning 21 of their 31 meetings, with Pakistan claiming nine victories. England are currently on a five-match winning streak in the rivalry, with Pakistan’s last win coming in September 2022 in Lahore. In the T20 World Cups, England holds a clear 3–0 advantage.
PITCH AND CONDITIONS AT PALLEKELE
The pitch in Pallekele International Cricket Stadium has traditionally been good for batting. Across 34 matches, the average first-innings score stands at around 167. In four games at this World Cup, the surface has largely remained consistent. However, in the first Super 8 match at the venue, Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 95, with Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, and Adil Rashid making key contributions.
As a result, spinners could play a decisive role on Tuesday, especially with both England and Pakistan boasting strong spin attacks.
There is only a slight chance of rain in Pallekele on Tuesday, with a full match expected. Conditions are likely to be pleasant, with temperatures around 25°C. Humidity, however, will remain on the higher side, hovering in the 70 percent range.
ENG vs PAK: TEAM NEWS AND PREDICTED XIs
England are unlikely to make any changes to their winning combination. Pakistan, however, could consider bringing back Abrar Ahmed in place of Faheem Ashraf, especially given the nature of the surface.
England XI: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid
Pakistan XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq
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