Pakistan vs England: Ben Stokes’ side to match record-breaking Test series 2022 in Pakistan back | Cricket News

Ahead of England’s three-Test tour in Pakistan that begins in Multan on Friday – exclusive live on Sky Sports – we look back at the stunning 3-0 series whitewash from two years ago.

England’s ‘Bazball’ brand of cricket blossomed in its first overseas outing, sweeping the hosts in spectacular fashion – breaking several records along the way.

Can we expect more in 2024? Will we see a better approach or more from Ben Stokes’ side? And will Pakistan be better prepared for an attack this time?

England smashed 500 on the day to set the tone for the series

The first Test at Rawalpindi will always be remembered for the most incredible and record-breaking first day’s game in which England scored 506 runs!

Let’s reel off some of the milestones recorded safely: the first side to Score 500 on the first day of a Test, England 506 is also the fifth-highest total of all-time in any day of play and a new high record in Pakistan, beating 417; Zak Crawley (122 off 111 balls) cracked the fastest hundred – off 86 balls – by an England opener in Tests; Ben Duckett (107 from 110), Ollie Pope (108 from 104) and Harry Brook (101no from 81) also notched a ton, with the end of the first century threatening Gilbert Jessop’s 76-ball and 122-year record for England.

England would eventually rack up a massive 657 runs in their first innings, but the job was far from over. Pakistan also highlighted the calm nature of the field, boasting three of their own in captain Babar Azam (136) and openers Imam-ul-Haq (121) and Abdullah Shafique (114) as they replied with a score of 579.

78 in arrears proved too much for England to work with, however, as the tourists quickly cracked 264 in just 35.5 overs in the fourth afternoon, setting Pakistan 342, which ultimately proved beyond the home side as James Anderson (4-36) and Ollie Robinson (4- 50) spilled eight of the 10 second-inning wickets to fall to see England wrap up the most memorable 74-run victory.

Explosive Wood wraps up the series as England edge the second Test

As unconventional, eye-catching and entertaining as England’s approach was in the series-opening win in Rawalpindi, there were some twitchy moments in the last day of what otherwise seemed to be the most emphatic of the victory.

Saud Shakeel (76) and Mohammad Rizwan (46) had Pakistan on a 167-run victory, with just three wickets down, at one stage. Even after his departure, the equation was 84 to win with five wickets in hand before Anderson and Robinson ran through the tail.

The second Test in Multan looked a nervous finish, although this time it was quicker Mark Wood who was the star of the show, taking 4-65 which included a five-over spell of 3-17 either side of lunch on the fourth day. which swung the English game way.

After Brook made two tons in the two Tests to seal the series with a second innings of 108, Pakistan looked set to chase down the 355-run target as they advanced from an overnight score of 198-4 to 290-5, with Shakeel (94) again proving difficult to move until Wood claimed man of the maiden Test century while securing a vital – and somewhat controversial – wicket in the lunch stroke.

Third umpire Joel Wilson adjudged that Pope, who was standing at the wicketkeeper, had got his fingertip on the ball when he caught it. It left Pakistan seven down, still needing 64 runs to win and the tail offered little resistance after the interval.

Breaking the dream debut record Rehan clinches a sweep of the series

Making three Test matches in Pakistan and Brook’s triple century at the age of 23 really cemented his place in the middle-order for years to come, but this win in Karachi went to England’s youngest Test debutant, Rehan Ahmed.

At 18 years and 128 days, the Leicestershire leg-spinner was given his first cap and then became the youngest man in Test history to take a five-wicket haul on debut as his second-innings 5-48 tore through Pakistan’s middle order and turned it around. game in his head.

After taking two wickets in the first innings, Rehan was reintroduced to the attack because Pakistan was three down and the lead was just over 100, but that would quickly become six as the teenager took the key scalp of captain Babar Azam for 54, he added. Rizwan was cheap when nicking off to Peach from the delivery and then saw off Shakeel (53) for the third in the board from four overs.

Raheem will add Mohammad Wasim (2) and Salman Agha (21) after tea to clinch the magical maiden five for, kissing the turf in celebration as Naeem’s father is very wildly celebrating in the crowd.

Left with 167 to chase, Duckett led the way with an unbeaten 82 as England – their second previous Test win in Pakistan, the last of which came in the dark of Karachi in 2000 – won by eight wickets to seal a historic 3-0 series win. in the first tour of the country for 17 years

What can England expect from Pakistan on the 2024 tour?

Pakistan’s Test form entering the series has not been good, winning just three of their past 17 matches, with the most recent loss coming against Bangladesh, who beat the hosts for the first time in a Test en route to securing the series 2-0. August.

And of Pakistan’s three wins in that period, all came on the two tours of Sri Lanka, with the team now winless in their last 10 home Tests starting when they beat South Africa in February 2021. That form has seen them collapse. to eighth in the ICC Test rankings, their lowest position since 1965.

“It’s terrifying, to say the least,” said former women’s international Urooj Mumtaz Sky Sports Cricket podcast. “I don’t think Pakistan themselves know what their strengths are. Bowling has been a problem, batting lacks skill and there are concerns about fitness. It’s less new.

“We haven’t developed into a red ball team, let alone trying to catch up to Bazball and what other teams are doing.”

That said, former England captain Michael Atherton feels it will be difficult for England to replicate the 3-0 whitewash from three years ago.

“He caught Pakistan last with Bazball,” Atherton said. “Pakistan has been warned this time and I suspect they will have a better plan.

“You have to say England are favorites but I don’t think the scoreline will be the same as last time. I will be very surprised if it ends 3-0.”

How will England fare in the series opener?

Importantly for the visitors, talismanic skipper Stokes is set to feature in the first Test in Multan on Monday, although it is unlikely that he will fly, which is a bit complicated for the side.

With Stokes slot back into the batting line-up at No 6, and Jamie Smith taking the gloves at No 7, England should not be desperate for extra batting depth from the tail, which can result in all-rounders Chris Woakes, and his. Test record overseas is poor, and Rehan – despite debuting for five in the last tour of England in Pakistan – falling down the pecking order.

Gus Atkinson is guaranteed to occupy one of the four bowling spots after his stunning success this summer, with off-spinner Shoaib Bashir and left-arm spinner Jack Leach the other two, especially if the track changes.

That made the pacier options of Brydon Carse and Olly Stone likely to fight for a single point. There are no guarantees, with Carse uncapped at Test level and the injury-plagued Stone playing just five times since his debut five years ago – although two of those have come this summer, looking at the holders.

Joe Root gives the fifth bowling option with his part-time off-spin, and can be a more pivotal part of the attack as a second spinner if the track is more friendly layer prepared in Multan, in this case England will likely change. Leach with Woakes, the veteran preferred Matthew Potts, who impressed during the recent ODI series against Australia but has yet to play a Test overseas.

England lineup predictions for the first Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wkt), Gus Atkinson, Olly Stone, Shoaib Bashir, Jack Leach

Pakistan vs England schedule – live on Sky Sports

First test: Multan – October 7-11

Second test: Multan – October 15-19

Third test: Rawalpindi – October 24-28

Every match from Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 as well as life Sky Sports from October 3-20 with Australia targeting their third and seventh overall titles, and England seeking their first win since the inaugural edition in 2009.

Watch the first Test between Pakistan and England in Multan, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 5.30am on Saturday (first ball 6.30am).