England and Pakistan last met in the T20 World Cup 2022 final at Melbourne Cricket Ground, where England emerged victorious after an extraordinary match. As England begins their title defense, Pakistan aims to clinch the title for the first time since 2009.
Men in Green recently played two T20I series, against New Zealand at home and Ireland away. They drew the first and won the second, but issues in their squad were apparent as they failed to beat a relatively weaker New Zealand side despite having a full-strength team.
They also lost a match to Ireland despite fielding a strong team. With players like Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan, Usman Khan, and Iftikhar Ahmed, who can change the game in a few balls, Pakistan needs to sort out their combination.
Shaheen Afridi’s recent form has been a significant boost for Pakistan. The star fast bowler, who was dismissed as Pakistan’s T20I captain after a brief stint, regained his confidence with impressive performances against New Zealand and Ireland.
On the other hand, key England players such as Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, and Moeen Ali are returning from IPL 2024, where they delivered outstanding individual performances. Salt’s impact as an opener and Jonny Bairstow’s return will make it interesting to see how England arranges their playing XI. They have plenty of options, which is a good problem to have.
Pacer Jofra Archer is making a comeback after 14 months, and this series will be a crucial test for him to secure a regular spot ahead of the World Cup.
Pakistan vs England Squads
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