England will take on Pakistan after a superb win against them in the first Test match. Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes were the heroes for them.
Now, we focus on the second Test match between the two sides, which is expected to be equally competitive. We have already provided all the stats and records with everything about this game in our match preview, so be sure to read it before you start here.
The Pitch at Southampton has something in it for everyone. You can expect runs from the batters if they play well but pacers, as well as spinners, will be very important on this wicket. The likes of Stuart Broad, Shaheen Afridi, Jofra Archer, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Abbas and Yasir Shah will be important in this match. The average opening stand on this wicket is 23.93 runs so you can drop the openers in your fantasy team.
Now, what can you do to be different from others? We’ve got you covered.
Pakistan’s batting will depend again on Babar Azam and one or two performances with him, particularly from Shan Masood. So don’t pick more than two or three batters from Pakistan. England’s top order is also struggling and the bulk of the scoring is done by their middle and lower order. With Zak Crawley expected to come in and bat at 3 and Root coming at 4, you can expect something better from them but the English all-rounders will be very crucial in this match.
Pace bowlers will be very important on this track but you have to choose smartly whom to pick. It’s a very risky option but you can drop Shaheen Afridi and Jofra Archer from your fantasy team. Pick either of Sam Curran or Mark Wood, if they get to play. You can also drop all the pacers from Pakistan and go with Yasir Shah as the only bowler from the Pakistan side.
Also, Ollie Pope will be a key player in this game. Going 7-4 or 6-5 in England’s favor will be recommended in small leagues.
ENG vs PAK 2nd Test Fantasy Picks: Chris Woakes was superb last Test.
Round the Wicket Picks:
There aren’t many players that you can pick to be different from others, at least before the toss. But here we are with some of them whom you can pick:
Mohammad Abbas
Mark Wood/Sam Curran (whoever plays)
Asad Shafiq
Rory Burns/Dom Sibley (either)
These were our round the wicket picks for this match. Now let’s talk about Captain and Vice-Captain:
Captain and Vice-Captain
With Ben Stokes out and a brilliant performance by Woakes and Buttler, there are some again quite a few options for captain and vice-captain in this game. Babar Azam is the most popular choice of captain and vice-captain in this game with Chris Woakes being the second most popular after his heroics in the last game. Shan Masood is also the choice of quite a few players. These are all safe options but if you want to be a bit different from others, here are our choices:
Round the Wicket Choices for Captain and Vice-Captain:
Stuart Broad
Jos Buttler
Ollie Pope
Yasir Shah
This was our fantasy preview for this match. We will get to know the actual playing XI after the toss and it will provide a clear picture of what the teams are thinking and what else you can do. So follow us on Twitter for last-minute updates and tips for this game.
Stuart Broad recently crossed 500 Test wickets. So, copping a fine for using foul language would usually get overshadowed in such a golden period in his cricketing life.
Except this time.
Stuart was fined 15% of his match fee by his father, match referee Chris Broad. Credit to Chris for doing his job, but something like this doesn’t come around too often. And Twitter was all over it, as it reminded all of us of a past time.
The best reactions as Stuart gets fined by father, Chris:
Stuart Broad being fined by his dad is terrific.
My mum once told me I wasn’t getting an ice cream when I was 10 and behaved unsportingly at a five-a-side tournament.
The Bangladesh tour of Sri Lanka is reportedly very close to being finalised. According to ESPNCricinfo, the tour schedule is currently taking shape, which will now include T20Is after the tour originally comprised of just three Tests.
Specifically, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief Mohan de Silva has said that the two boards have agreed on Bangladesh’s departure date. However, SLC and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) are currently working to finalise the details of the tour. This includes the number of Tests, which could now be down to two, after the BCB requested that the tour now comprises of three T20Is.
“It is more or less [finalized],” de Silva said to Dhaka-based TV channel Maasranga. “We are actually negotiating. They [BCB] want to play three T20Is and three Tests. So we are actually negotiating with them to reduce one Test and then play the T20Is. We will be able to confirm it within a day or two.”
Bangladesh’s star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan could return to international cricket in this tour. He is all set to return to training, as his ban ends on October 29. Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo believes that Shakib’s training is crucial to achieve optimal fitness, as he won’t be able to play any official/warm up matches while banned. So, Domingo and Bangladesh will enquire whether Shakib can play in unofficial matches, such intra-squad games.
Bangladesh tour of Sri Lanka is all but set to go ahead.
It is something that we have to discuss with the selectors. I don’t think he can play any official game before October 29, so all games that he plays have to be unofficial games. It might be inter-squad games but we need to have clarity if he is allowed to play that,” said Domingo.
However, Domingo believes that Shakib can hit his strides well, given that Bangladesh’s cricketers, as well as those around the world, have not played for months due to COVID-19.
“I think Shakib being out for a year is not that much different to the rest of our squad who have been out for six or seven months as well,” Domingo said to ESPNCricinfo. “We are hoping all the players are fit. Obviously, there are standards that they need to attain in terms of fitness level. We have to organize a bit of game time for Shakib, as well as for all the players. It is very difficult to get into international cricket without any sort of cricket. I think we need to try to find some opportunities for him to play some games. He is a world-class player so I am sure he will get back into it pretty soon, but fitness is an important thing.”
“He has to make sure he is fit and that he starts hitting balls and bowling some balls. Once we assemble before heading off to Sri Lanka – when that tour is confirmed – we will get closer to making a decision. There’s still a while to go; it is only August now. His ban finishes in two-and-a-half months. When he is fit and available, we will cross that bridge.”
Despite the high-scoring nature of the Indian Premier League, the bowlers tend to gain the upper hand as the tournament enters its playoff stage. This is because of various factors. One of them can arguably be because the conditions of the pitches slow down or rather deteriorate towards the conclusion of the two-month long competition.
Sub-par totals have been defended successfully by teams on several occasions. The spinners actually often turn out to be vital in these circumstances, reiterating the point about the slightly sluggish nature of the pitches towards the fag end of the encounter.
Without further ado, let us have a look at some of the best bowling spells in IPL playoffs over the years.
Umesh Yadav: 4-0-13-3 vs KXIP in IPL 2014Qualifier 1
Kolkata Knight Riders’ victorious IPL campaign in 2014 was propelled by a convincing victory against Kings XI Punjab in the first Qualifier. Chasing 164 in the second innings, the George Bailey-led side succumbed to a 28-run defeat.
This was stimulated by Umesh Yadav’s fiery spell in which he dismissed three batsmen and conceded merely 13 runs in four overs. Most importantly, all of those were critical scalps. The Vidarbha fast bowler sent Virender Sehwag and Glenn Maxwell back to the pavilion for meagre, single-digit scores.
Yadav then returned back to deliver the final over and gave away a single run, also ensuring that George Bailey didn’t spark a late turnaround. The Aussie batsman’s wicket was taken by the KKR bowler in the first delivery of the 20th over as Gautam Gambhir’s side rounded off a very cogent, crucial victory.
Ok umesh yadav is bowling brilliantly here, can't believe he is not in the list of top 6 bowlers going to england.. #ipl2014
Karn Sharma: 4-0-16-4 vs KKR in IPL 2017Qualifier 2
To hurt a team most in a limited overs game can be done by breaking the back of their batting lineup in the very start of the innings. Karn Sharma did exactly that in the second qualifier of the 2017 edition of the IPL.
Firstly, all of Karn’s four wickets were from the top-six batsmen in KKR’s lineup. Secondly, Kolkata had lost five wickets for 31 runs in 6.5 overs, and the leg-spinner had taken three of those scalps. He was instrumental in Gambhir’s team being bowled out for 107 runs in the all-important qualifier. Sunil Narine’s dismissal for 12 runs was particularly notable, as the pinch-hitter had provided KKR several quick starts in that season.
Ishank Jaggi had looked to stabilize his team’s innings and was set to accelerate the scoring rate in the last five overs after having notched 28 runs individually. However, Karn Sharma returned in the 15th over to dismiss Jaggi, and accordingly derail KKR’s innings completely.
Best bowling performances in IPL playoffs: Karn Sharma produced in 2017
Doug Bollinger: 4-1-13-4 vs Deccan Chargers in IPL 2010 Semi Final
Doug Bollinger’s sole four-wicket haul in the IPL was in the Semi Final encounter against Deccan Chargers in CSK’s maiden title win.
MS Dhoni’s men could only set up a target of 143 in front of the Hyderabad-based franchise. However, Bollinger breathed fire that night as his four wickets broke the spine of Charger’s batting unit.
He got the main job done first, as Adam Gilchrist was dismissed before the dynamic Aussie could turn the course of the game. Tilumansethi Suman, a rising star for the Chargers at point in time, followed his captain back to the pavilion due to Bollinger in the very same over.
Bollinger wasn’t done yet. Gilchrist’s team required 40 runs off 19 deliveries, which is when the CSK pacer struck twice within two deliveries to tarnish any aspirations of the opposition making their way back in the game.
Not conceding runs is of paramount importance in such low total defenses, and Bollinger delivered 18 dot balls in his four-over spell. Combine that along with his four wickets, and how could we not include this effort by Doug Bollinger in our list?
Best bowling performances in IPL playoffs:Doug Bollinger had a good record
Ravichandran Ashwin: 4-0-16-3 vs RCB in IPL 2011 final
Chris Gayle had taken the IPL by storm with his several blitzkriegs of innings after joining RCB as a replacement to Dirk Nannes in 2011. Hence, no target, whatsoever huge, seemed massive in front of him.
Hence, when CSK put 205 on the board in the Final, they still had to be extremely cautious to prevent a Gayle-storm from taking them by cleaners. Step up, Ravichandran Ashwin. The much-celebrated off-spinner worked out a fantastic tactic to dismiss Gayle for a duck in the very first over of the chase.
The opener nicked a delivery to MS Dhoni who didn’t make any mistake in collecting the ball behind the stumps. In his very next over, Ashwin dismissed Gayle’s opening partner Mayank Agarwal. RCB’s task was cut out, so they never really got into the chase properly.
Captain Daniel Vettori was dismissed was a first-ball duck by the spinner from Tamil Nadu. In an innings when RCB had a required run rate of 10.3 RPO in front of them, Ashwin completed his spell with an economy rate of four. Add to that his three wickets, including that of the maestro from Jamaica, and it is not surprising as to the reasoning behind his spell’s inclusion in this list.
Anil Kumble: 4-0-16-4 vs Deccan Chargers in IPL 2009 Final
Anil Kumble’s four wickets in the final of IPL 2009 could not result in a victory for RCB. However, it was the team’s batsmen who are to be blamed, not the leg-spinner. Kumble had started off the match in a brilliant way, as he bowled over Adam Gilchrist in only the third delivery of the innings.
He sent back Andrew Symonds in the same way, just when the Aussie crossed the 30-run mark and looked set to pile up a huge total. Rohit Sharma’s scalp by Kumble was critical too, considering that Chargers’ innings had entered the last four overs and Sharma has had a knack of going bonkers towards the end of the innings even back then.
In the very same over, Venugopal Rao was dismissed for the duck by the former Indian captain. Having given away merely 16 runs, this four-over spell by Anil Kumble was nothing short of match-winning. He had single-handedly turned the momentum in his team’s favor in three different phases, thus ensuring that his impact was felt in each part of the innings.
The legendary spinner conceded only a single boundary, proved that a veteran could adapt and succeed in the shortest format of the game too.
Best bowling performances in IPL playoffs: Kumble showed he could produce in T20s, too.
Akash Madhwal: 3.2-0-5-5 vs Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2023 Eliminator
The inexperienced Akash Madhwal blew LSG away. His spell in the middle overs, where he built great pressure and dismissed Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran in consecutive deliveries, will be remembered by he and Mumbai Indians fans for years to come.
In the end, MI’s 182 was more than enough thanks to Madhwal’s efforts as well as MI’s excellence in the field. The seamer’s control of length was a feature once again, soon after he took an excellent four-wicket haul in MI’s win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their must-win league game to reach the playoffs.
Written by Tarkesh Jha. Follow Tarkesh on Twitter today.
England’s leading wicket-taker James Anderson said that retirement isn’t on his mind till the 2021 Ashes and wishes to carry on to the next season.
Anderson’s performances have been mediocre this summer and that has fuelled the rumours that he will retire at the end of this season. However, the 38 year old has no intentions of calling it a day.
“No absolutely not. I am still hungry to play the game. The frustration for me has been after one bad game, the whispers that go around. I don’t think that’s fair,” he said.
The pacer picked up a solitary wicket in the 1st Test against Pakistan and has been averaging over 40 this summer. He hopes to bowl better in the upcoming games although he hasn’t bowled as badly as the numbers reflect.
Anderson also spoke how he lost his cool somewhat after a dropped catch off his bowling early in Pakistan’s second innings.
“It’s been a frustrating week for me personally because I have not bowled very well, I felt out of rhythm,” he said. “Probably for the first time in ten years, I got a little bit emotional on the field, started getting frustrated, let that get to me a little bit. When you get frustrated and a little bit angry, you try and bowl quicker and quicker. That doesn’t help on the field. For me it’s a case of trying to work really hard the next couple of days, try to figure out of there are any technical issues I can sort out. Hope that I get the nod for the next game and I can try and show people I have still got what it takes to play Test cricket,” England’s all-time highest wicket taker said.
The veteran speedster also believes that his rhythm went off during the game as he was feeling confident before the game.
“To be honest, coming into this game I felt good, but during the game there was something off – the rhythm wasn’t quite there. As I went through the game I just tried to start bowling quicker, run in faster, bowled a couple of no-balls which isn’t like me really. It felt like I was trying a bit too hard. I was chatting to Chris Silverwood and Pop Welch about some basics, making sure my action is where I want it to be and finding that timing. Hopefully I can continue this week and keep my fingers crossed that the captain and coach keep faith with me for the next game,” he observed.
“I want to play as long as I possibly can. If I keep bowling the way I did this week, the opportunity to retire will be taken out of my hands. It will be a selection issue. But, for me, I’m still hungry. As I said, it was one bad game and I’m sure I’ll have another bad game in my career. I just don’t want every time I have a bad game for there to be whispers going round that I’m going to pack in. For me it’s about trying to find a way of dealing with that, dealing with the outside noise. I’ve done that really well in my career, but it’s a little bit different now,” Anderson concluded.
Inzamam-ul-Haq, former Pakistan captain, believes that Pakistan can still make a comeback in the 3 match test series against England in spite of losing the first test as he thinks of the Asian team as a better side than the hosts.
“I think Pakistan team is better than England and we should have won the first Test. It’s very disappointing but I believe Pakistan can still win the series,” said Inzamam on his YouTube channel.
Pakistan were in pole position as they reduced England to 117-5 before Woakes and Butler took matters in their own hands and notched up 139 runs for the 6th wicket. The hosts had been set a target of 277 after the Azhar Ali led side grabbed a significant 1st innings lead of 107.
Azhar Ali is under pressure to perform in the 2nd Test
“When you are going through a tough phase, the team’s body language should not change. This was clearly the case in the first Test because Pakistan players seemed under pressure after the second innings batting collapse on the third day. The role of the team management is vital after such a defeat because the players’ morale will be down.”
Inzamam then stressed the importance of focusing on the positives rather than the negatives ahead of the 2nd Test. “They need to talk about the positives, like scoring 300 plus runs and the first innings lead, rather than focusing on the negatives,” Inzamam said.
Pakistan management consists of stalwarts like Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan and Waqar Younus, who have a key role to play in getting Pakistan in with a chance of levelling the series. The 2nd Test starts on August 13 in Southampton.
ENG vs PAK 2nd Test Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs PAK 2nd Test Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Pakistan 2nd Test Dream11 | ENG vs PAK 2nd Test Key Players | Southampton Pitch Report
Welcome back, Test cricket. We have had two thrilling matches in the space of a month, with the latest being an incredible counterattack that will be remembered for a long time to come.
England looked gone in the opening Test. WinVIZ had them at just a 16% chance of winning, after being reduced to 117/5 in pursuit of 277. But, we talk about having players who could influence a game; players who can deliver the goods for your side when needed most. Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes did just that, staging a memorable counterattack to seal one of England’s finest wins in recent times.
Now, after finally winning the first Test of a series, England can look forward to sealing this one. However, Ben Stokes, their inspirational all-rounder, will miss the remainder of the series for family reasons. So, as thoughts are with Stokes and his family, can England perform without the insurance of their star all-rounder being there?
How do Pakistan bounce back? 2020 has been an incredibly unpredictable year, but one thing for certain is Pakistan cricket’s unpredictability. Their first match back after the coronavirus-enforced break had a mix of the sublime and the ridiculous, as the spotlight now shines even brighter on skipper Azhar Ali. Also, there is the question of Pakistan’s team balance, which needs to be answered effectively as the series shifts to Southampton.
Inzamam-ul-Haq believes they are better than England. Can Pakistan justify his belief, or will the disappointment of Old Trafford be too much to recover from?
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Jos Buttler was in the spotlight early in the Old Trafford Test, after his difficult time with the gloves. However, his batting form is picking up, with 220 runs in his last five knocks (avg. 44). Also, Buttler averages 75.77 in three Tests at the Ageas Bowl.
Buttler and Chris Woakes could be crucial in the absence of Stokes. Woakes was outstanding last Test, scoring a superb 84* along with four wickets.
No Ben Stokes will likely mean Joe Root moves back to his preferred no. 4 position (should England pick Zak Crawley at three). Root’s Test average is 49.23 in 72 innings at four, compared to 38.66 in 53 at three.
Also, Root has an excellent record vs Pakistan, averaging 57.17 in 10 Tests (972 runs).
England’s excellent win should not make us forget Shan Masood’s superb 156 in the first innings. In 2016, Shan averaged just 17.75 in two Tests in England. This time around, he looks much more assured around his off-stump. A key player.
Babar Azam is also crucial for Pakistan, once again. His class was on show at Old Trafford during his first innings 69. Also, Babar has 1,449 Test runs at 63.00 since the beginning of 2018.
Can Rory Burns and Dom Sibley, two players who showed promising signs against West Indies, blunt Pakistan’s new ball efforts? Their average opening partnership is 34.57 so far this summer.
Asad Shafiq has crossed 20 six times in 12 innings in England, for two fifties and a hundred. Can he improve on this conversion rate?
Ollie Pope has batted well in recent times, particularly with England under pressure. He has scored 91 and 62 in his last two Tests, and came in with England tottering both times (122/4 and 12/3).
Stuart Broad is in wonderful form. He has taken 22 wickets in three Tests since being left out, with 109 runs at 54.50 as well. Also, Broad has 60 wickets vs Pakistan at 23.11.
Mohammad Abbas will be key, especially with the new ball. Of course, that ball to Ben Stokes comes to mind. Abbas averages 16.23 in three Tests in England.
Yasir Shahbelieved the pitches will turn in England, and he has proven to be right. He is coming off eight wickets in the last match.
James Anderson (64 wickets at 19.81 vs Pakistan) is set to play. He denied retirement rumours and is very keen to keep playing on. Also, can Jofra Archer, if picked, up the ante with the spotlight on him? He took a solid 3/59 in the first innings at Old Trafford.
ENG vs PAK 2nd Test Dream11: Woakes was superb last Test.
Stats and Facts
The average first innings score at the Ageas Bowl is 300.75 (four Tests). However, that number is given a huge boost thanks to England’s 569/7d v India in 2014. The other three scores have been 184, 246 and most recently, England’s 204 a month ago.
Azhar Ali has been in poor form in recent times, especially away from Asia. In the last three years, Azhar has scored just 212 runs at an average of 11.77 outside Asia (one fifty in 18 innings).
England’s win at Old Trafford was the first time they won the first Test of a series since Sri Lanka in 2018.
Azhar Ali hasn't been having the best of days outside Asia 👀
Ben Stokes is out for the remainder of the Test series (details here). So, England would likely look to shore up their batting, with Zak Crawley a chance to come back at three.
Also, England could look to rest one of their pace bowlers, after Ollie Robinson was brought into the squad to join the likes of Mark Wood. England could choose to rest Jofra Archer, as James Anderson (who denied retirement rumours), is set to play.
England: 1. Rory Burns, 2. Dominic Sibley, 3. Zak Crawley, 4. Joe Root (c), 5. Ollie Pope, 6. Jos Buttler (wk), 7. Chris Woakes, 8. Dom Bess, 9. Stuart Broad, 10. James Anderson 11. Jofra Archer/Mark Wood
Shadab Khan had a limited role in the last Test. So, a key question for Pakistan is what team combination do they go with at the Ageas Bowl? Haris Sohail or Fawad Alam to add more to their batting?
Inzamam is still confident Pakistan can win the series, so getting the XI right is key.
Pakistan: 1. Shan Masood, 2. Abid Ali, 3. Azhar Ali (c), 4. Babar Azam, 5. Asad Shafiq, 6. Haris Sohail/Fawad Alam, 7. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 8. Yasir Shah, 9. Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10. Mohammad Abbas, 11. Naseem Shah
Pitch and Conditions
Unfortunately, the weather forecast doesn’t look too good in Southampton throughout the Test. Expect rain to play a part.
However, the Southampton pitch has provided assistance to both pace and spin bowlers, with the most recent example being West Indies’ superb win last month. So, even if rain plays a part, there could be time for a result given the fragile batting lineups. Also, the likes of Moeen Ali have enjoyed bowling at Southampton, so the spinners could prove key here.
Dream11 Prediction
Looking for more Fantasy Cricket tips? Check out our dedicated article here.
Option 1:
ENG vs PAK 2nd Test Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
ENG vs PAK 2nd Test Dream11 Prediction
Dream11 and Fantasy Cricket content for you to enjoy on CricBlog:
Pakistan actually had the better of most of the first Test, but fell short. How they respond, as well as how kind the weather is, will be key.
However, England at home, makes them the favourites once again, even without Ben Stokes this time around. Their runs down the order could prove crucial again, and is a key area where they can get the better of Pakistan.
Thanks for reading!
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Ben Stokes, England’s star all-rounder, is out of the remaining two Tests of England’s series against Pakistan due to family reasons. England Cricket released a statement on Sunday, respectfully requesting that the media respects the family’s privacy at this time.
“The England and Wales Cricket Board, along with the Stokes family, requests that all media respects the family’s privacy at this time,” the statement said.
Stokes will travel to New Zealand later this week to be with his family. His father, Ged, was hospitalised in Johannesburg with a “serious illness” during the England winter, and has since been recovering in New Zealand.
Stokes has played a key role for England with both bat and ball, particularly in the past 12 to 18 months. Recently, he achieved a very rare feat of scoring 250+ runs and take three wickets in a single Test.
England will surely miss Stokes, but family comes first. We wish he and his family all the very best during this time.
The Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan series, comprising of five T20Is, has been called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has been working hard in recent times to ensure this series goes ahead. ZC applied for a waiver to have this series go ahead in a controlled environment – the kind we are seeing in England at the moment. However, the country has unfortunately experienced a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, which has resulted in the government putting in stricter measures to try and control the spread of the virus. This includes sporting events, as the government has advised that Zimbabwe is not ready to host visiting teams at this moment in time.
“We were keen to see the imminent and safe return of cricket, but we understand the government’s health concerns and accept that cancelling the proposed tour is sensible and in the best interest of players, match officials, volunteers, service providers, fans and the wider community,” ZC acting managing director Givemore Makoni said in a statement.
Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan T20I series has been postponed.
The news comes as further disappointment for Zimbabwe cricket. India were also scheduled to visit the African nation for three ODIs this month, but that series was cancelled due to the pandemic. Also, Zimbabwe were scheduled to tour Australia in early August, but that series was also postponed, as Cricket Australia (CA) cited that organising a strictly controlled environment, including a 14-day quarantine, for such a short series is not feasible.
CA has confirmed that they will work with ZC to reschedule the series to a later date. In terms of the Afghanistan T20I series, however, it remains to be seen if this will be postponed to a later date.
This news means that Afghanistan’s IPL participants can begin to ramp up their preparations for the tournament, which will get underway on September 19 in the UAE, pending formal government approval, which is expected anytime now.
Imagine dominating the best part of four days, only to fall short courtesy of two poor sessions. Imagine taking a 100+ lead on a dry pitch, with two leg-spinners, as well as a capable seam attack, only to fall short. At 117/5, after Ollie Pope copped a brute of a delivery that reared up to his battle handle, not many could have predicted what happened next.
WinVIZ, too. With England reeling five down, Pakistan were considered an 84% chance to win the Test. It was almost a forlorn conclusion, with an under-pressure wicket-keeper, out-of-form batsman and the bowlers to come. Surely.
It wasn’t the case. In some of the incredible circumstances – events that would have sent a crowd into absolute delirium – England pulled off a challenging run chase of 277 to take a 1-0 series lead. Now, one wonders how Pakistan will bounce back.
Here are five talking points from an enthralling Test:
1. Under pressure keeper-batsman and out-of-form all-rounder? No worries
Chris Woakes came into this Test on the back of eight single-digit scores in his last nine Test knocks, dating back to the Ashes last year. He himself said he wasn’t happy with his batting. Walking into such a pressure situation is make or break.
What about his batting partner? Jos Buttler looked a beaten man on the field in the opening two days. Dropped catches, a costly missed stumping and an overall difficult time with the gloves saw his position in the team almost hang by a thread. He even felt it.
And England’s hopes of victory hung on these two players, both of whom were clearly facing their own challenges.
And they pulled it off in remarkable style. It was the counterattack of all counterattacks, driving, sweeping and nurdling their way to a 50-run stand in 48 balls before tea. The break may have come at the wrong time for England given the shift in momentum, but both Buttler and Woakes continued the momentum after tea, gaining more and more confidence each time Azhar Ali put his hand over his face or head in his hands searching for an answer.
England were on the ropes at 117/5. But, instead of ducking, weaving, and simply trying to survive for as long as possible, Buttler and Woakes threw punches back, and eventually delivered the knockout blow via a Woakes edge through the slips. It was the approach that made the Australian side of the early 2000s so successful, and hands England a confidence-boosting 1-0 series lead. A superb effort.
ENG vs PAK 1st Test talking points: Buttler delivered.
2. Pakistan get it very wrong. How do they respond?
Pakistan had the better of three days and a session. Yet they lost the Test. So, let’s add Old Trafford 2020 as another chapter in the book of incredible Pakistan unpredictability.
How does Azhar Ali, a man with just seven Tests under his belt as captain, rally his men to come back fighting in the next Test after his own poor performance? To look ahead, Pakistan must look back at their key mistakes and learn from them. What went so wrong? How did they lose a Test that their captain rightly believes they had in the palm of their hands?
It started with their second innings display. It was careless. Almost complacent. A needless run-out on the third evening – that of an experienced batsman in Asad Shafiq – highlighted Pakistan’s muddled mindset, which brought England right in with a sniff. But, 32 runs on the fourth morning would have lifted the mood, as 277 still looked a very difficult chase.
And at 117/5, the chase looked even more difficult. Pakistan’s poor second innings display was almost forgotten. They had the game in their hands. Surely they couldn’t let it slip?
That they did. Their strategy (or lackof) to Chris Woakes was ultimately the deciding factor in this Test. Yes, Jos Buttler is a danger man, but he needed support. England’s best hope was that Woakes also played a blinder, and given the way he was punching the ball in front of square and down the ground with such timing early in his innings, it should have rung alarm bells in the Pakistani camp.
Remember, Woakes had been struggling with the short ball. It has been the main cause of his downfall in recent times. Pakistan, instead of turning their attention to Woakes’ ribs, chest and helmet badge, kept inviting him on the front foot, of which Woakes then obliged. A very costly move.
ENG vs PAK 1st Test talking points: Azhar Ali is under pressure as batsman and captain.
3. Pakistan’s selections under the microscope
Pakistan chose to weaken their batting lineup to play all-rounder Shadab Khan. It could have proved to be a good decision, if they knew what his role would be. They didn’t.
Shadab bowled just 11.3 overs in the Test, including a costly one to Stuart Broad very late on in the Test, where a seamer would have perhaps been the better option. That Pakistan continue to ignore Fawad Alam – a man with over 12,000 First Class runs at 56.78 – bewilders the mind. With Shaheen, Naseem, Abbas and Yasir proving to be a capable attack, it seems there is not much of a role for Shadab except to score late order runs when given the chance.
Pakistan need more. Pakistan needs a team of players that can significantly influence the game. Another specialist batsman in this Test, after Shan Masood’s brilliant first innings knock, may have got them over the line.
This is especially important as Azhar Ali continues to struggle with the bat outside Asia. Since 2018, the Pakistani captain has scored just 212 runs in 18 innings at an average of 11.77.
Azhar Ali hasn't been having the best of days outside Asia ?
James Anderson didn’t bowl terribly in this Test. However, his usual zip and threat wasn’t always on display, with some underwhelming spells – particularly after lunch on days one and two – reducing his role in the Test.
England’s greatest ever wicket-taker bowled fewer overs than Dom Bess in both innings, even as Bess struggled with consistency. So, England have a decision to make with Anderson in the next Test – do they give him a rest to ensure he can play his best cricket when he does play? They probably should.
5. England finally overcome their first Test blues
They did it the hard way, but England finally won the first Test of a series. It is the first time they have achieved this since beating Sri Lanka in Galle in 2018 – a run of five straight Test series (two or more matches) where they lost the first game.
Now, they can look forward to attempting to seal the series and capture more World Test Championship points, as they seek to chase India and Australia. There is certainly improvement left in England, but they can now look to improve with the cushion of a 1-0 series lead.
Any other talking points from a classic Test? Do have your say!
