ENG vs PAK: Match Preview- 1st T20I, Pakistan tour of England 2024

England will take on Pakistan in the first of the four-match home T20I series. The Eng vs Pak battle will take place on May 22, 2024, at the Headingley ground in Leeds. The series will work as a preparation for both sides for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
England haven’t played a 20-over series for a long time. The last time they were part of the format was back in 2023 when the side toured the West Indies for a five-match series. The 2022 T20 champions are coming into the Eng vs Pak series on the back of their 3-2 series loss against the hosts.
With the upcoming T20 World Cup scheduled to be held at that place, the series result was so vital to give an idea to England, about the pitches and conditions of the ground, along with the dimension of the field.
For England, Phil Salt was the highest run-scorer of the series with 331 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 185.95. Whereas when it comes to the bowling department, leg spinner Adil Rashid picked up nine wickets in five games at an economy of only 6.20.
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For Pakistan, the series will be seriously vital going into the world event. The 2009 champions are coming into the Eng vs Pak encounter after their winning the three-match T20I series against Ireland in an away series by 2-1 margin. With Pakistan calling back a few of their experienced members of the team, the series will offer them a chance to look at how those veterans shape out going into the T20 tournament.
The visitors are still trying to get a few combinations right going into the T20 World Cup 2024. Before the Eng vs Pak series, Pakistan’s T20I wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan was the joint-highest run-getter of the series with 132 runs in three games at a strike rate of 150.
When it comes to the bowling department of that series, Pakistan’s new ball bowling was fabulous, with Shaheen Shah Afridi picking up seven wickets in five innings at an average of 12.71 and an economy of 7.41 in that series. After his long injury layoff, the left-arm swing looked quite a good touch coming into this Eng vs Pak first T20I.
Last Five Matches for ENG vs PAK:
In the last five Eng vs Pak encounters, England are ahead with a 3-2 margin during the series that was played just before the last T20 World Cup, in Pakistan.
ENG vs PAK Teams:
England
England’s biggest satisfactory news of the playing is the comeback of Jofra Archer in the team, Liam Livingstone still keeps on recovering from a minor knee injury. Mark Wood will be managed for the series after his niggle in the knee.
Eng Probable XI: Jos Buttler (c & wk.), Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer. Adil Rashid, Reece Topley.
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Pakistan
Harris Rauf is expected to return to the playing eleven, making his first appearance in the team since the last Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.
Pakistan Probable XI: Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk.), Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Harris Rauf, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah.