England vs Pakistan Match Prediction – Who will win today’s 1st ODI match between ENG vs PAK?

Preview

England and Pakistan are all set to take part in a three-match ODI series, starting Thursday, July 8 at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. The hosts had to announce a completely different squad, led by Ben Stokes.

The first-choice team had to go into self-isolation following the emergence of COVID-19 cases. Pakistan, on the other hand, have a power-packed squad, led by Babar Azam.

In a last-minute change, they included Sohaib Maqsood in the team after Haider Ali was found guilty of breaching the coronavirus protocols during the PSL. The visitors can be deemed as the favourites in the ODIs.

Match Details

Match – England vs Pakistan – 1st match

Venue – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

Time – 05:30 PM IST, 01:00 PM Local

Where to watch live – Sony Sports Network and Sony Liv

Pitch Report

The venue at the Sophia Gardens recently hosted two T20Is where run-making wasn’t all that easy. The spinners got a fair amount of assistance from the surface.

History at the venue says that the chasing teams have dominated and hence, batting second should be the way forward. There are chances of occasional showers during match time and a few delays could be there.

Avg score: 265 (28 ODIs at the County Ground)

Record of chasing teams: Won – 16, Lost – 8, N/R – 3, Tied- 1

Playing Combinations for ENG vs PAK

England

Predicted XI

Phillip Salt, James Vince, Ben Duckett, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes (C), Lewis Gregory, John Simpson (WK), Craig Overton, Jake Ball, Saqib Mahmood, Danny Briggs/Matthew Parkinson

Bench: Brydon Carse, Tom Helm, Danny Briggs/Matthew Parkinson, David Payne, Daniel Lawrence, Zak Crawley, Will Jacks

Pakistan

Predicted XI

Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (C), Haris Sohail, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Mohammad Nawaz/Sohaib Maqsood, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf

Bench: Mohammad Nawaz/Sohaib Maqsood, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Usman Qadir, Agha Salman, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Hasnain

ENG vs PAK Head-to-Head

Overall

Played – 88 | England – 53 | Pakistan – 32 | Tie – 0 |N/R – 3

In England

Played – 19 | England – 9 | Pakistan – 10 | Tie – 0 |N/R – 0

Probable best batsman of the match

Babar Azam- Pakistan

Babar Azam has been exceptional for Pakistan over the last five years or so. He has shown why he’s one of the best in the business. His numbers against England are a tad mediocre compared to other opponents, yet he remains as a force to reckon with. In 16 ODIs against the Three Lions, Babar has notched 639 runs at an average of 45.64 with a top of 115 at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham.

Probable best bowler of the match

Hasan Ali- Pakistan

Hasan Ali has been impressive for Pakistan ever since he made his comeback to the national team earlier this year. In 54 ODIs, the pacer has picked up 83 wickets. Against England, the speedster has gotten 14 wickets from 11 matches and he’s a key member of the Pakistan team. Not t forget that Hasan can do a fair amount of damage courtesy of his power-hitting with the bat in hand.

Today’s match prediction: Pakistan are expected to win this match.

Disclaimer: This prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.