Last Updated on 6 years by Charbel Coorey
England vs Pakistan 1st ODI Preview Dream11. ENG vs PAK 1st ODI Preview Dream11 Prediction
The entree is complete. It is now time for the main meal. With a World Cup starting in a little over three weeks, attention now turns to ODI Cricket as teams look to fine tune their preparations for the big tournament.
England, pre-tournament favourites with the bookmakers, will be source of much attention. They are the number one ranked side in the world, and many believe this is their best chance to lift a World Cup. A five-match series against a side good on its day is a good challenge for England, who will be looking to get into gear after a disappointing series against West Indies earlier in the year.
Pakistan return to England for their first ODI since their triumphant 2017 Champions Trophy campaign. However, their ODI form since has been rocky, with just three wins out of 20 completed matches against top eight opposition since the beginning of 2018. Their last series was also very poor, losing 5-0 to Australia, but a number of key players are back after rest. Pakistan are widely acknowledged as a team that can fire on its day, so can they build some confidence with a big performance against the world number one?
Also read: Five important tips for Online Cricket Betting
Key to an England win
While injury niggles remain in the England camp, they welcome back a number of key players. IPL players Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler are set to make their returns after missing the Ireland ODI and Pakistan T20I. However, a key question is how England will go without Jason Roy, who still has a back problem. A key strength of England’s squad is the batting depth they possess, and even without Alex Hales, they have a talented batsman in James Vince who can help England get off to a strong start. Can Vince make a start and carry on? What about Jonny Bairstow, who SRH would dearly love to have today in the IPL? With Joe Root disappointing in the West Indies after his first ODI hundred and Eoin Morgan superb in the recent T20I, England have the top four to set a platform for a dangerous middle order.
Also, can England’s bowlers build some confidence ahead of the World Cup? Their bowling is considered their weak point heading into the big tournament, especially after going the distance in their last ODI assignment – a 2-2 draw in West Indies. Jofra Archer’s World Cup audition continues with what will likely be his first ODI in England, and has a key role to play in giving England some spark against Pakistan’s top order. With Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman capable (the latter enjoying success in England in 2017), England need to target Babar Azam as early as possible and focus on his off-stump. Can the likes of Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett deliver the goods, setting things up for the likes of Adil Rashid and Ben Stokes?
Key to a Pakistan win
Pakistan’s last ODI vs England in these parts was a comprehensive eight-wicket win. This was then followed by a stunning win against India in the Champions Trophy Final. The key to both these victories was how clinical the bowlers were, with a key example being Ben Stokes unable to hit a single boundary in his 64 balls in the Semi Final. Here, Pakistan need to replicate that sort of form, with much resting on Hasan Ali, who soon become the world number one bowler in ODI Cricket after the Champions Trophy. Shaheen Shah Afridi has the ability to cause England problems, and eyes will be focused on Mohammad Amir (if picked), and the impact he has in his audition to make the final World Cup squad. Can Pakistan make life difficult for England’s top order, limiting boundaries and then pouncing?
Also, how will Pakistan’s batting hold up? A concern is perhaps the lack of power in the squad, which puts onus on Fakhar Zaman. He has struggled against top-flight opposition since his remarkable Champions Trophy Final effort in 2017, so the time is now to recapture form and confidence. With Imam-ul-Haq enjoying a good series in South Africa earlier in the year, Pakistan need to ensure the powerplay period doesn’t yield too much success for England, all the while keeping the scoring rate decent. Can Babar Azam continue his good form? And, importantly, who will provide impetus in the middle and death overs? Asif Ali, if picked, has to deliver for himself (as he isn’t in the preliminary squad) and for his team. So too skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed.
Possible Playing 11:
England: 1. James Vince, 2. Jonny Bairstow, 3. Joe Root, 4 .Eoin Morgan (c), 5. Jos Buttler (wk), 6. Ben Stokes, 7. Joe Denly, 8. Adil Rashid, 9. Jofra Archer, 10. Chris Woakes, 11. Liam Plunkett
Pakistan: 1. Imam-ul-Haq, 2. Fakhar Zaman, 3. Babar Azam, 4. Haris Sohail, 5. Sarfaraz Ahmed (c & wk), 6. Asif Ali, 7. Imad Wasim, 8. Faheem Ashraf, 9. Hasan Ali, 10. Shaheen Shah Afridi, 11. Mohammad Amir/Junaid Khan
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1:
Option 2:
Stats and Facts
- England are unbeaten in their last seven bilateral ODI series (of more than two games).
- Pakistan have won just three of 20 completed ODIs since 2018 against opposition other than Zimbabwe, Hong Kong and Afghanistan.
- England have not lost a bilateral ODI series at home against Pakistan since 2005.
Match Prediction
Every ODI now is one of context!
World Cup preparation is in its final stages, and I expect England to start well in this series. England to win.
VOTE: Were England right to withdraw Alex Hales? Have your say!
Thanks for reading!
