KARACHI: After losing the first contest, Pakistan are hoping to put up a good all-round show, particularly with the bat, and level the series when they take on England in their second Twenty20 international of the seven-match series at National Stadium Karachi here on Thursday (today). Pakistan need to pull up their socks and show a bit more intent with the bat to set the ball rolling for the upcoming World Cup in Australia next month. The first game was the first time England have played in Pakistan since 2005, and were welcomed back with open arms by Pakistan. Alex Hales top scored for the tourists on his return to international cricket after three years out, with youngster Harry Brook also impressing with the bat. Luke Wood was impressive on debut for England, taking the man of the match award with his 3 wickets for 24. Sam Curran also did a fine job. As did Adil Rashid who drew first blood by dismissing hosts skipper Babar Azam with a brilliant googly. David Willey though was quite expensive and if the ball does not swing first up, there don’t seem to be a lot of arrows in his quiver.
Opener Hales said he felt like he was making his debut again after returning to the side for the first time in three years. Hales last played for England in 2019, the same year he was withdrawn from their preliminary 50-overs World Cup squad after the Guardian newspaper reported he was serving a three-week ban for recreational drug use. “It was a very special feeling to be back on the park for England,” Hales said. “Three years felt like forever. To go out and score 50 on my return in a winning team is the stuff dreams are made of. “It is a nice feeling. Guys said in the past it was never down to cricket, missing the three years, that was never in doubt. But there was always nerves and pressure coming back after three years having not played. It felt like a debut again, so it was a very special night.” England will play four matches in Karachi and three in Lahore before returning in December to play three Tests in the second leg of the tour. International teams have largely refused to tour Pakistan since an attack by Islamist militants on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009 killed six policemen and two civilians.
There were a few whispers before the beginning of the series that Pakistan may decide to rest Mohammad Rizwan for the first couple of matches after a few injury scares during the Asia Cup. As it is, Rizwan has played a lot of cricket of late and with Pakistan not possessing another keeper batsman anywhere near the capability of Rizwan, it would have been a wise decision. However, the pocket dynamo opted against the rest and walked out to open the batting for the team in the series opener. As it turned out, he was their top run scorer with 68 off 46 deliveries going at a strike rate of close to 150 and also had a brilliant 85 run partnership with Babar Azam. The way the two Pakistan openers made use of the batting powerplay was brilliant to see but as has been the problem with them for a long time, they were not able to capitalise once more fielders were allowed on the boundary and the wind was knocked out of Pakistan’s sails.
Pakistan’s middle order has been a concern for some time now and that is the main reason why they have lost each of their last 3 T20 internationals — two against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup and now the first match of the seven-match series. That said, Pakistan will still like to give the likes of Haider Ali and Shaan Masood a few more opportunities. Khushdil Shah has come under the scanner for not delivering for a long time now. More so, he is being used as a specialist batter and hasn’t bowled for some time. Pakistan’s pace bowlers Naseem Shah and Shahnawaz Dahani were also completely off the boil. Dahani, who is not part of Pakistan’s main squad for the T20 World Cup, is expected to get one more opportunity before Mohammad Hasnain or Mohammad Wasim Jr is called upon. Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Haris, Abrar Ahmed and Aamer Jamal were the other Pakistan players who were on the bench in the series opener and might have to wait for at least one more game to get their opportunity.
Squads:
Pakistan:
Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Haider Ali, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Qadir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani/Mohammad Hasnain.
England:
Alex Hales, Philip Salt (wk), Dawid Malan, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali (c), Sam Curran, David Willey/Olly Stone, Luke Wood, Adil Rashid, Richard Gleeson.