England VS Pakistan 1st Test Match - Prediction and Tips
England and Pakistan begin their three-match Test series in Rawalpindi on Thursday morning
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Crawley and Duckett unbeaten partnership of 174It is the first time England have travelled to Pakistan for a Test series since 2005. Pakistan lost their last Test against Sri Lanka in a draw, while England beat South Africa at home this summer. The opening match of the series will kick off at 10:00 am local time.
Pakistan have a substantial home record in Test cricket and will be confident of having the upper hand with both bat and ball in this match. Patient batting will be required, and Pakistan have players who can do that.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The ECB has informed the PCB that they are in a position to field an XI, and, as such, the first Test will commence as per schedule today (Thursday, 1 December) at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvENG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvENG</a> <a href="https://t.co/baafQaEWbF">pic.twitter.com/baafQaEWbF</a></p>— England Cricket (@englandcricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/englandcricket/status/1598142354506006530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
England goes into this series on the back of a successful home summer, but an away game against Pakistan is different. They will play offensively, but a win would be a significant achievement.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Love watching this England team play .. They make playing a Test look like it’s another game for your junior team .. so much fun .. Yes they will hit some bumps but they are a breath of fresh air to the Test game .. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvENG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvENG</a></p>— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1598211744052174848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
England's players to watch
1. Ben Stokes - The all-rounder has turned around the fortunes of England's Test side since taking over as captain earlier this year. He won the final match in the T20 World Cup final and is a big occasion player.
2. Jack Leach - The left-arm spinner has taken 31 wickets in 11 Tests in 2022 and will enjoy bowling on the dry ground in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan's players to watch
1. Babar Azam - The 28-year-old captain has an excellent record at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. He averages 91.50 from five innings with a top score of 143 at this stadium.
2. Nauman Ali - The slow left-arm spinner has taken at least one wicket in six of the last seven innings he has bowled in this format, scoring 6-107 against Australia in his previous appearance at Rawalpindi.
Match Prediction
Pakistan are predicted to win the first test due to home advantage, and Pakistan have more experience playing on flat pitches.
Top Picks
Ben Stokes
Jack Leach
Babar Azam
Nauman Ali
Pitch Report
As observed over the years, the pitch at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium typically provides some highly favourable conditions for batters. The Test match's first day could make it even for batters and bowlers, but later on, the spinners will play a more significant role.
Team Squad
England: Zak Crawley, Keaton Jennings, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Liam Livingstone, Ben Foakes (wk), Ollie Robinson, James Anderson, and Jack Leach.
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafiq, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Azhar Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, and Nauman Ali.