EDGBASTON: Pakistan will face England in the third T20I at Sophia Gardens on May 28, after the Three Lions were beaten by 23 runs in the second T20I at Edgbaston on Saturday.
The cancellation of the first match of the four-match series due to heavy rain meant that Pakistan had to win the next two matches to clinch the series. The match is crucial for the Men in Green as they look to build momentum ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Skipper Babar Azam will break the successful streak with a crucial drop. His role will be crucial in stabilizing the innings and providing a solid foundation for the middle-order batsmen.
The team will have to choose between the young Saim Ayub or the dynamic Usman Khan and the consistent Mohammad Rizwan to open the innings. Such an open partnership could be crucial in setting the tone against England’s powerful bowling attack.
Off-spinner Abrar Ahmed can replace Shadab Khan given his 55-wicket haul in the last match, the peak time of Abrar Ahmed will be tested where he can help himself at Sofia Gardens.
Mohammad Amir is likely to return to the playing XI for this match along with Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf to provide more pace in attack.
Although there are a few changes to both XIs ahead of this game, we expect England to come out on top in Cardiff. Skipp Buttler was the most impressive player for the hosts on Saturday, but there were many strong performances.
If Pakistan are going to give England any trouble, they will need two big batsmen to stand up and be counted in this game. They also have strong bowlers, but there are question marks over the depth of the side.
According to reports, it is forecasting rain in the afternoon and rain in the morning. Since the match starts at 14:00 local time, at least 0.1 mm of rain and 100% cloud cover is expected around 14 ° C. There is a high possibility of rain spoiling the sport during the match
