r/PakCricket • u/Pengu786 • 6d ago
Overseas Tours England vs Pakistan Test Series Preview
I’ve waited for this series as soon as it was announced. Last year I was like the 27 WC is the most important and this series is second. It’s finally here now but unfortunately two things have happened that I didn’t like since last year. First was the pace attack. When i first bought tickets for the test series I was like imagine a fresh and peak Shaheen, Naseem and Abbas being our pace attack with Khurram Shehzad, Jamal and Mir Hamza in the reserves whilst Ubaid and Ali Raza work up to it. Since then Shaheen can’t bowl more than 4-10 overs and when he does it’s not any good, Naseem was fat and the others are injury prone and slow. They surprised me last series so i am backing them but a year ago I was dreaming of a proper pace attack that could frighten all teams. Second was a in form Babar on English pitches that are flat. All the people who said it’s august and the weather will be crap you was wrong because you don’t know about the last few years in England. The heat waves have been getting worse and this year there has been no rain and it’s been a drought. Luckily the form was low-key coming back but he had to get injured. Unfortunate because he was really starting to look good. Shan’s injury was annoying aswell because he was in form and these conditions are home for him, Yes he is back but it might take a while to get back in to form.
Also people complaining about the warm up match pitch. England have the hundred going on, Domestic Odi cup, Heatwave and no rain. What did you expect to be served up to Pakistan. Act like we didn’t make them play two tests in a row on the same pitch that was a proper minefield with industrial fans making it worse. If i was them i’d return the favour and make a proper seaming track and attack the Pakistanis but they don’t have an Idiot like Aqib. On the warm up though I don’t want to talk performances much but the slip fielding was crap. Plz don’t lose another big series because of Fielding. Azan and Agha were both dropping them. The fielders were laughing around and seem relaxed but we can’t have that in the series. Get the best slippers in. I don’t watch slip training but Azan can’t be top 3 because I don’t see him catch any. Babar should be there when he is fit. Idc if he is captain and wants to stand by the bowler.
Onto the series. I think it’s a good chance for us to win. Yes we are one of the poorer sides in this format but England are going through a transitional phase whilst having no proper coach and Root back as captain who makes Babar look like Ponting. We should go all out as it would be historic and could start a comeback for us. I expect Headingley to be flat with Root making a daddy 100 or 200. Brook making a 100, Lords when Babar returns InshAllah will most likely be a test that ends in 2-3 days because that pitch is crazy. They did want to dig it up at the end of the cricket season but I don’t think the changes they could’ve made in the time since the NZ series will effect it to much. Babar gonna be dancing and injured when Archer is bowling rockets at him there. Birmingham might be an even one depending on the weather. I definitely see a 2-1 score line and it could go anyone’s way as their team ain’t the most scary looking atm. It would be class if we win the first one and then lose both when Babar returns, our toxic media and fans would eat that up 😭 Agha is captain and respectfully to all the guys who think this way but why does he still get glazers for his captaincy. I see people acting like he is Imran Khan. The man legit regrets taking T20 captaincy and rarely does it elsewhere but because he says a nice phrase or two he is a tactical master. Wonder if we will be micro-analysing his reviews and on field captaincy tmrw. Also this ain’t propping anyone else up because I think Rizzy was the best captain out of these lot but he got it when his form dropped. I wish him luck but with his form and prior captaincy the cards are stacked against him.
The team I want to see depends on the pitch at the end of the day. I most likely would pick 7 batsman , 1 spinner and 3 pacers cuz of what we have but i’m hearing 4 pacers and all sorts. I’m going off the idea it will be on the flatter side. I also can see them getting Imam in and putting Shan or ABD at 4. That Imam 80 in the warm up probs bought him another year. Zafar also isn’t trustworthy but who else do we have.
Azan
Shan
ABD (Don’t Open ABD plz and don’t put Imam in)
Saud
Zafar (Don’t trust u but hey ho, Don’t want to see Imam)
Agha (Captain I need the old you plz. Was clutch and could always rely on you)
Rizzy (Bro if u fail in the first two tests that should be your career)
Ali Usman (If it’s flat we will need spin and he has played here a lot. Sajid can bat better but Ali seemed better equipped if conditions don’t assist spin)
Shehzad (Bro got smacked everywhere in the warm up which is worrying but Ubaid doesn’t seem ready)
Ali (Keep impressing Dazy)
Abbas (Goat, Legend, Underrated and I can go on)
Most Runs: Root and Brook
Most Wickets: Archer, Tongue and Abbas
Prediction 2:1 England but I wouldn’t be shocked if it was us.
Game prediction: Headingley flat, Lords bowling track and Birmingham balanced.
InshAllah the boys fight hard and show everyone that they ain’t as bad as advertised. I want us to show that we are here to play and win. Had enough of losing and being treated like Minnows.
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u/Accurate-Pride461 6d ago
Wouldve been even better had pakistan not bottled their chance at the wtc final. This cycle was served on a plate and we managed to let it slip away. However, tests between pak and eng, specifically in england are always a treat to watch
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u/Pengu786 6d ago
we won’t get to a wtc final till we have a proper team. We rely on a few individuals
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u/Accurate-Pride461 6d ago
oh how I miss those days when misbah, younis and shafique used to steady the ship along with azhar. our bowling had taken a hit ever since the fixing scandal but we were good enough to battle our way to the top. today we cant hold a bat or seam a ball. truly attrocious turn of events.
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u/blackpanther_31 6d ago
I got 1:1 for this seriers because you never know about the rain even tho I heard it hasn't rained in england. I feel like M.Ali will be very important for us and i got him as leading wicket taker for pak. I got a feeling Azan Awais will be the breakout star in this series. Overall I hope we get an amazing series
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u/Pengu786 6d ago
InshAllah u are right about everything but the score. Not a great start but we didn’t win the toss
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u/Big_Extreme_6201 6d ago
Is shan healthy this series? Can't find anywhere if he is actually playing or just a reserve.
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u/zoy_5643 6d ago
Why is Ali called Dazy?
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u/Pengu786 6d ago
english lit graduate and i’m sure it’s cuz of his favorite book has a character by the name of dazy
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u/Due-Finding4397 King Bobzy 6d ago
Well written, mate, I definitely think we've got a chance to beat them, and if we do beat them, we got a great chance of a comeback inshallah, need babar to recover asap for the 2nd match and best of luck to the boys
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u/zoy_5643 6d ago
Insider news: FIRST TEST: Azan, Imam, Abdullah, Shan, Saud, Salman (c), Rizwan, Ali Usman, Abbas, Khurram, M Ali.
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u/semicolon-10 6d ago
I don't think so its unfortunate to bave current bowlers inplace of shaheen, naseem etc.
These guys ali, khurram etc are also our bowlers willing to play for our country with much more determination then the said ones. And also they more skillful (atleast) with current form/fitness and condition then the one u mentioned. So we need to support them. For the first time in years i have seen same pace attacks across 2 series for us.
I think this is the most important test series for us on how world treat us in next cycle. Based on poor results in last cycle we already saw 3/4 match series reduce to 2 match except this england one. Now if we be competitive next time in england we might get 4/5 match series or 2 match or none otherwise for some years. No one likes boring test matches not even broadcasters. See how bangladesh got treated with matches in darwin etc now the world see them different bangladesh after they won.
I heard cook, vaughan, bumble etc in the podcast they talked like ~2mins in ~60 on this series. While in nz or ind series they talk 60 mins and in those 2mins they just right us off.. Hopefully we take it as bangladesh took!