PAKISTAN VS ENGLAND, TEST SERIES 2016 CHALLENGE FOR BOTH SIDES | GHULAM MUJTABA

Pakistan vs England, Test Series 2016 Challenge for both sides

By: Ghulam  Mujtaba

         Pakistan cricket team is going to visit England for 3 tests, 4 ODI’s and a t20 match this summer.

This will be Pakistan’s first tour of England since 2010. Last 2 times, England faced Pakistan in UAE and lost the test series for the both times. This time conditions will be different. English side will be getting advantage of home. They recently proved their cricketing power against Sri Lanka. They are favorite for upcoming test series but Pakistan will also give them tough time and because of great bowling attack, Pakistan got the ability to turn the table at any time.

Skippers: Alistair Cooke & Misbah-ul-Haq

         English side is great in home conditions as we have seen them against mighty assizes in the Ashes and against Sri Lanka. They got great batsmen in the form of Alastair Cook and Joe
Root. Compton, Bairstow, Vince and Hales are also doing great job. These batsmen got the ability to stay at the crease for the long time. English team is lucky to have all-rounders like Woakes, Moeen Ali and Stokes and this can be the turning point as Pakistan has not included any quality All-rounder. These batsmen will be a challenge for Pakistani bowlers. English team is a complete test side, their batsmen are outstanding, supported by quality fast bowling attack. James Anderson, one of the best now days, can surely tease any batsman anywhere. He is outstanding with the new ball as well as old ball. James Anderson for me, the real hurdle for Pakistan. Stuart Broad also don’t need any introduction. Both these pacers will test Pakistani batsmen as they have been playing on the dead surfaces of UAE for a long time. Woakes and Finn will be backing up Anderson and Broad. I think that England will definitely miss a good spinner.

This was English side but Pakistani Side is not a minor side like Sri Lanka as they got good result in this format of game. Pakistani side is having good test batsmen lead by Misbah Ul Haq, man of crises. Younis Khan, the most experienced batsman in Pakistani camp, is brilliant in this format. Younis has proved his brilliancy against every test playing nation. English think tank will definitely be monitoring him with keen eye. Sarfaraz Ahmad, Asad Shafique and Azhar Ali are also doing great job. So, it will not be very easy for English bowlers to get rid of these batsmen simply. 

Let’s come to the main power of Pakistan cricket team, their bowling line up. Muhammad Amir, who will be facing immense pressure of crowed and English media because of his spot fixing scandal. It will never be very easy for Amir to face all these things but hopefully he will doing good against all these problems. Amir is matchless in his bowling. He will be the triumph card for Pakistan. He proved his brilliancy in England last time in 2010, other than his scandal. His partners, Wahab Riaz, Imran Khan, Rahat Ali and Sohail Khan will also test the English side. Few people are not happy with the selection of Imran Khan and Sohail Khan but they are un-aware of Sohail Khan’s quality of reverse swing. He will be god to see. Imran Khan can swing the ball so he is good selection. Leg spinner Yasir Shah is going to be the big test for English weak bating line up against spin. He got great fame for his bowling as great Shane Warne got his buff. Shah will get the advantage from the pitch during evening sessions. Pakistan will badly miss an all-rounder like Woakes or Moeen Ali.

Although, England are favorites for this series and Pakistan will be facing double pressure of English media and English spectators but still this is going to be a great competition. Both the

Sides are strong, both the teams got stars therefore, no one can surely say that England is going to outclass Pakistan in this contest. Believe me it’s going to be one of the finest competition of the year.

Researcher Pakistan