Pakistan vs England – 1st T20 International Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Pakistan vs England taking place? Tuesday, September 20th, 2022 – 15:30 (UK)
Where is Pakistan vs England taking place? National Stadium, Karachi
What is the expected weather for Pakistan vs England? 28-29c dry with clear skies and a gentle breeze
What channel is Pakistan vs England on? The match will be televised live on Sky Sports in the UK
Where can I stream Pakistan vs England? Sky Sports subscribers will be able to stream the match live via the Sky Go app
LAST MEETING
England beat Pakistan by three wickets
THE TEAM NEWS
PAKISTAN
- A knee injury has ruled out batter Fakhar Zaman not only from this series against England, but also for the upcoming T20 World Cup and his place in the side could be taken by Shan Masood after his exploits both in County Cricket for Derbyshire and recently in the National T20 Cup.
- Whilst fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi should be fit for the T20 World Cup, the left-armer will not be available here and his absence will be a blow to Pakistan’s chances of victory, such is Shaheen’s quality with the ball.
ENGLAND
- Batter Jonny Bairstow misses this series and the upcoming T20 World Cup after breaking his leg in a freak accident playing golf, leading to a recall for the exiled Alex Hales following a profitable white ball summer for Notts Outlaws and Trent Rockets.
- Following a terrible run of form both domestically and internationally, Jason Roy has been dropped from the squad, which could see Lancashire’s Phil Salt given an opportunity at the top of the order, whilst captain Jos Buttler is out with a calf-injury so Moeen Ali will captain the tourists.
THE PREDICTION
Neither of these two teams will be at full-strength for this game with players such as Buttler, Bairstow and Shaheen missing. However, this shouldn’t prevent a contest of high quality and likely plenty of boundaries on what should be an excellent batting track in Karachi. The expectation is that the side bowling first will have an advantage with the potential of dew later on in the match which sides to the ball coming onto the bat easier. In terms of the result though, Pakistan’s familiarity with home conditions makes them worth backing to win this opening game.
