England vs Pakistan 1st ODI: Preview, likely XIs, predictions

The washout in the first ODI was a shame, but even in the 19 overs of play that was possible after England opted to bowl, Jofra Archer boosted his claims of a World Cup 2019 spot with a fiery spell that had audiences oohing and aahing.

Archer bowled 4 overs, conceding just 6 runs, beating the bat on numerous occasions, and eventually had Fakhar Zaman caught at second slip. It was a visceral experiencing, and he did his chances of representing England at the World Cup a world of good.

Rain then played spoilsport, but this series, for Archer is about auditioning. And so long as he does well, the rest of the England attack will have no option but to do so as well, or risk losing their spot to him in the 15-man squad. There is competition for places, in short, and the world’s No. 1-ranked side look in good stead, after all that drama surrounding Alex Hales.

Pakistan will not want to be the bunny here. For them, this series is about fine-tuning plans and building morale after a disastrous outing against Australia. The men from Down Under blanked them 5-0 in the UAE, and even though it was an understrength XI, the manner of the loss wasn’t ideal.

Furthermore, they need more outings in England to acclimatise to the conditions, and rain won’t help them do that. Unfortunately, rain is forecast in Southampton on Saturday, and just how much that will curtail the match remains to be seen.

Head to head

In all, England have beaten Pakistan 49 times and lost 31 times, with 26 and 15 of those coming at home, respectively. In three matches in Southampton since 2006, England have won twice, although they lost the first match by two wickets.

Pakistan can, however, take solace from the fact that when it mattered, in the 2017 Champions Trophy semi-final, they saw off England to seal a spot in the final, in which they beat India. They’ve a good record in England, and they’ll bank on that.

Key players

Jofra Archer (England): Anyone who watched Archer’s spell in the first ODI would have realised the boy means business. He’s fast, he has something to prove, and that has made him dangerous. Especially so in helpful conditions. Pakistan know what to expect from him now, but he’s still a hard paceman to prepare for.

Imam-ul-Haq (Pakistan): Imam looked solid in the 19 overs he batted in the first ODI. He scored a 68-ball 42*, and commendably, negotiated that tough spell from Archer to get there. He will be a key wicket for England.

Likely XIs

England: James Vince, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (c), Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Joe Denly, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett.

Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Sarfaraz Ahmed (c & wk), Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Amir.

Predictions

Rain is forecast and will play a part. If it’s not a washout, expect England to go 1-0.