3rd ODI: Can improving Pakistan break winless streak against daunting England?
After nearly giving England a scare, Pakistan would want to put the finishing touches when they two teams face each other in the third ODI on Tuesday. What should motivate Pakistan further are the numbers that are stacked heavily against them. In 12 matches across three one-day international series this year, Pakistan have won just two games, and lost nine.
Worryingly enough, Pakistan have not won a single one of their previous eight ODI games. But as steep a mountain as it may be for them to climb against the No 1-ranked ODI team, they would gain confidence from the fact that they gave England a fight and fell short of the 375-run target by just 12 runs with Fakhar Zaman’s century almost outdoing Jos Buttler‘s brutal ton.
Bowling concerns linger for both teams, the flat surfaces of England not helping the teams’ cause. The likes of Glenn Maxwell and David Warner have predicted the upcoming World Cup to be a high-scoring one, with the flamboyant right-hander even going to the extent of predicting a few 400-plus totals in the tournament. And based on what transpired in Southampton, it could very well be true.
As the focus shifts to Bristol, another small venue, where the square boundaries are roughly 65 yards and the ones down the ground are even shorter. With the kind of batsmen both sides possess, expect another run-fest on the cards.
Match Information
What: England vs Pakistan, 3rd ODI
When: Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Venue: Bristol County Ground
Time: 530 PM IST
Weather: Pleasant conditions with no chances of rain
Team News
England
Jofra Archer was believed to have been an automatic pick for the second ODI after his fiery spell in the first game at the Oval. However, he was left out and England ended up conceding over 350 runs. His replacement David Willey was the most economical of the six bowlers used. Maybe it’s time England give Archer another go ahead of Liam Plunkett and shake things up a bit.
Probable XI: 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Jos Buttler (wk), 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 David Willey, 11 Adil Rashid
Pakistan
Yasir Shah took a pounding conceding 60 off seven overs, and Pakistan might want to replace him with a pacer, say Mohammad Hasnain in order to get him some game time ahead of the World Cup.
Probable XI: 1 Imam-Ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Asif Ali, 5 Haris Sohail, 6 Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt/wk), 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Hasan Ali, 10 Yasir Shah/Mohammad Hasnain, 11 Shaheen Afridi
Stats and Trivia
– England’s 369/9 against West Indies in 2017 is the highest total at this ground
– Hasan Ali has been Pakistan’s most prolific bowler in ODIs across the last two years. He has taken 49 wickets at 24.12 and an economy rate of 5.03.