Saud set to make debut as Pakistan face second-string England

CARDIFF: Top order batsman Saud Shakeel is set to make his ODI debut as Pakistan face a second-choice England squad in the first of their three ODIs here on Thursday (today).

Saud was set to make his debut earlier this year in South Africa but suffered a quadriceps tear prior to the team’s departure.

Pakistan will expect their vice captain Shadab Khan to return to form. He’s not taken a wicket in six matches since August, the second match of last summer’s England tour, while his batting remains promising rather than fulfilling - he made the last of his three ODI half-centuries way back in January 2018.

With Usman Qadir offering an alternative legspinning option, and Mohammad Nawaz waiting in the wings as an all-rounder, he’ll need to step up sooner rather than later.

Pakistan are currently third on the Super League table, having played half as many games as England, and though they didn’t play ODIs on last year’s bio-secure tour, they emerged with a share of the T20I series with a thrilling defence of 191 in the decider at Old Trafford.

If captain Babar Azam continues the form he showed in South Africa earlier this year, where he made 228 runs at 76.00 in three matches, he could become the fastest batter to reach 4000 ODI runs. Hashim Amla holds the record, reaching the mark in his 81st innings in 2013. Babar currently has 3808 runs from 78.

Ben Stokes, who has been called to lead England after some of their initially named squad players tested positive for Covid-19 necessitating a whole new squad for the series, will be playing his first home England match for 11 months. He last featured against Pakistan in the first Test at Old Trafford in August 2020, prior to a spell of compassionate leave. He has played 15 overseas matches since then, three in South Africa and the rest in India.

With nine new caps in England’s makeshift ranks, there will be an element of lucky dip to the final XI that takes the field. Stokes admitted on the eve of the game that the squad hasn’t yet managed to meet in person. However, a handful of building blocks are sure to be in place, namely the top-order trio of James Vince, Dawid Malan and Stokes himself.

Pacer Saqib Mahmood seems assured of a role, and so too Matt Parkinson. Phil Salt and Ben Duckett are competing for the second opener’s role.