The Pakistan men’s cricket team will clash with hosts England in the first of the four-match T20I series at Headingley in Leeds today (Wednesday), in their final preparations for the next month’s T20 World Cup, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The match will start at 10:30 pm Pakistan Standard Time (PST) with Green Shirts will be led by Babar Azam while the English team will be captained by Jos Buttler.

In a pre-match press conference, Babar Azam said that the series against England is a golden opportunity to prepare for the World Cup 2024. Winning the series would boost their confidence for the World Cup and that they had decided on the combination for the World Cup, with him playing one-down, he added.

There is a possibility that today’s match between Pakistan and England may be affected by rain. According to the local meteorological department, there is a 60% chance of rain in Leeds. The day will remain cloudy, and the rain starting in the afternoon may continue intermittently until midnight.

The meteorological department has predicted humidity levels to reach up to 92%, which will make it difficult for bowlers and fielders to handle the ball, and the moisture on the pitch will create challenges for the batsmen as well.

The second match of the 4-match series will be played on May 25 in Birmingham, the third on May 28 in Cardiff, and the fourth and final T20 match on May 30 in London.

In the T20 format, England has a stronger record. Out of 29 encounters between England and Pakistan, the English team has won 19 times, the Green Shirts have won only nine matches, and one match ended without a result.

Pakistan has played 12 T20 matches against the English team in England, winning only 4. At neutral venues, the two teams have faced each other 10 times, with England winning 8 times and Pakistan only twice.

Babar Azam said “I am confident that Pakistan will carry the winning momentum from the Ireland series into the England T20Is. Our 2-1 victory in Dublin showcased the brilliance of our batters and bowlers, while also providing us with learnings as we aim to work on our areas of improvement.”

Babar further said “We’ve had productive training sessions at Headingley and with head coach Gary Kirsten linking up with the squad, we are focused on fine-tuning our strategies and combinations for the four T20Is against England and T20 World Cup.”

Series schedule
22 May – 1st T20I, Leeds
25 May – 2nd T20I, Birmingham
28 May – 3rd T20I, Cardiff
30 May – 4th T20I, The Oval