England is hoping for another 3-0 triumph in the opening Test at Multan International Cricket Stadium as they make their way back to Pakistan, where they dominated in their previous series. England is hoping to build on their recent success, having won five of their past six home Test matches this summer, in spite of Pakistan's difficulties at home, where they have lost their last 10 Test matches. We are supporting England to win the series since both teams want to get off to a great start!
Date:9 october
Tournament: England Tour of Pakistan, 2024
Format: Test
Venue: Multan International Cricket Stadium , Multan City, Pakistan
Toss Prediction: To Bat
Weather: 29.1°C | Overcast
ENG vs PAK Match Prediction & Analysis
There is a lot of excitement before the beginning of this Test series, especially considering England's previous triumph in Pakistan (3–0 series win). Pakistan's coach, Australian Jason Gillespie, faces a formidable task given the team's dismal recent home record.
England is expected to stick with their aggressive strategy, dubbed "BazBall," which has worked well for them since its start in 2022, even with captain Ben Stokes out of the picture. With England in fourth place and Pakistan in eighth place in the World Test Championship, this game is vital for both sides as they attempt to move up in the standings.
TEAMS PREVIEW
England Preview
Even if they are not at full strength, England has higher expectations when they travel to Pakistan. An advantage is the return of opener Zak Crawley, who was injured and missed the Sri Lanka series. Joe Root is playing quite well, so the top order is potential. But there are also questions concerning depth of the middle order, which includes Jamie Smith and Chris Woakes.
Left-arm spinner Jack Leach, who hasn't played since earlier this year, will be welcomed back by Captain Ollie Pope. Leach's relationship with Shoaib Bashir will be crucial.
England Predicted Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir
Pakistan Preview
Despite having a wealth of talent, Pakistan has had difficulty converting that ability into victories at home; they last won a Test match in February 2021. Although Babar Azam's performance has fallen short of his normal levels, the batting order still has a lot of ability to score big thanks to Abdullah Shafique and skipper Shan Masood's reliable assistance. The depth of the batting is increased by Saud Shakeel's remarkable average of 56.30 from his 23 Test innings.
On the bowling front, the pace combo of Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah can generate considerable speed, while Abrar Ahmed will spearhead the spin attack, having already plagued England in their last clash.
Pakistan Predicted Playing XI: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed
Weather Conditions
The test will be quite hot, especially on day one, according to the weather forecast, with highs of 37 degrees Celsius. Players may become weary due to the heat, and for the next five days, there is no chance of rain.
ENG vs PAK Pitch Report
The pitch at Multan is predicted to be more favorable to spinners, but we also think that pacers will get some help. An approximate first-inning total of 310 is considered par.
Toss Prediction
We anticipate that both captains will choose to bat first at the toss due to the extreme heat, as the pitch will probably get worse during the Test.
ENG vs PAK Winning Prediction
Despite having better form going into this series, England may have difficulties because to their limited strength. Nevertheless, we think they have enough quality to win in Multan.
