Pakistan, England lock horns for decider T20I match tonight
October 2, 2022 11:21 AM
Pakistan and England teams have set their targets to win the decider match today at Qaddafi International Stadium as seven men’s international T20I series will be concluded on an expected high note.
Who will get the trophy, everything will be clear today as right now the series is leveled after six intoxicating and wildly entertaining games.
READ MORE: How to watch Pakistan Vs England high-voltage final T20 match live?
England has the higher ceiling, evidenced never more succinctly than in the sixth T20I, where the full force of the visitors' batting order laid waste to Pakistan inside 15 overs.
Team news
Haider Ali was hospitalised after the last game so is unlikely to feature on Sunday. His absence should make way for Khushdil Shah. Mohammad Rizwan and Rauf are both expected to return, likely as straight swaps for Mohammad Haris and Shahnawaz Dahani.
Pakistan (probable): 1 Babar Azam (capt), 2 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 3 Shan Masood, 4 Iftikhar Ahmed, 5 Khushdil Shah, 6 Asif Ali, 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Shadab Khan, 9 Mohammad Hasnain/Aamer Jamal, 10 Mohammad Wasim, 11 Haris Rauf
England (probable): 1 Phil Salt (wk), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Ben Duckett, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Moeen Ali (capt), 7 Sam Curran, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Reece Topley
Neither side trained on Saturday but with the series on the line, England are likely to field their strongest available side, with Chris Woakes and Mark Wood both in the frame to return. Jos Buttler appears unlikely to play despite making good progress in his rehabilitation from a calf injury and Moeen Ali will continue as captain in his absence.
-Rest Day-
Neither side trained on Saturday but with the series on the line, England are likely to field their strongest available side, with Chris Woakes and Mark Wood both in the frame to return. Jos Buttler appears unlikely to play despite making good progress in his rehabilitation from a calf injury and Moeen Ali will continue as captain in his absence.
Pitch Report
Conditions are once more likely to be hot and humid. The decider is likely to be played on a used pitch at Gaddafi Stadium and has been sold out for weeks.
https://twitter.com/englandcricket/status/1576134830864990209
Stats and trivia
David Willey is two wickets shy of becoming the first left-arm England bowler to take 50 T20I wickets, while Rashid needs four more to overtake Chris Jordan as England's all-time leading wicket-taker in the format.
Two more wickets for Shadab Khan will make him the second-highest T20I wicket-taker for Pakistan, taking him past Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal, and behind only Shahid Afridi's 97.
Pakistan have never won a multi-game T20I series against England.
https://twitter.com/ESPNcricinfo/status/1576283634499477507
Haris Rauf
Haris Rauf has become a true all-phase bowler for Pakistan. In the previous match where he was rested, Pakistan missed him dearly in the first two phases, and if England had allowed the game to extend to a third phase, Pakistan would almost certainly have missed him then. The heroic role Rauf played in Pakistan's win in the fourth game, which bowling coach Shaun Tait referred to somewhat tetchily in defence of his side's death bowling, won't be forgotten by either side in a hurry. Slotting back into the team, as he is almost certain to, he should provide Pakistan's bowling with the shot in the arm they need following their dismantling on Friday.
Pakistan were not the only one to rest their express pace bowler on Friday. Mark Wood's return from injury and into the England side has been managed competently, and though he has played just two of the first six matches, he has been a central figure in this series. Wood's average pace was higher across those games than any bowler from either side could manage, and against a top order that has often proven impregnable, Wood has more powerplay wickets in just three overs than any of his team-mates. Rauf vs Wood is a mini-contest in itself, one likely to be as fiercely contested as the one between the two sides.
-ICC T20I World Cup-
https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1576417796170342400
Pakistan, England sixth T20 Highlights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP3dX9yV3co
Pakistan, England 5th T20 Highlights