The T20 series between Pakistan and England moves from Karachi to Lahore for the fifth match on Wednesday evening, one where one of the two teams is going to go one up with two to play as the tour heads towards a close.
We saw in Karachi that England are the better of these two teams yet somehow they are locked at 2-2 heading into what feels like it could be a pivotal fifth match of the seven. While winning the series is the aim, preparation for the T20 World Cup is the overriding quest.
Pakistan
You have to give credit to Pakistan for holding their nerve in that fourth match. They were already 2-1 down in the series and had they falling to defeat in game four that would surely have seen their chances of winning the series come to an end. Even though they didn’t have nearly enough runs at the halfway stage they refused to surrender and in the pressure moments produced some of their best cricket even when the game looked like it had gone from their clutches and turned it round to win.
There is no getting away from the issue that Pakistan have with the bat. They simply have to be more flexible. If their openers get them off to a good start then Shan Masood just has to drop down the order. He isn’t the man to accelerate from a good position. We saw in the last game the innings just stalled and it was compounded when Asif Ali came to the crease in the final over and clubbed a couple of sixes. They do have the bowling side of things sorted albeit with one or two players needing a rise in form.
England
I don’t think England will be too concerned at losing the last game. You could tell by the team they selected that they are very much trying out combinations and giving players a chance to force their way into the reckoning down the line but the tourists might be wondering just how they are only level in the series when for all but 20 overs in the second game they have absolutely dominated it. That just shows they need to be a little more ruthless in the last couple of overs of both innings.
In many ways it was a good thing for England to lose a couple of early wickets in that previous game. It meant their middle and lower order could play under the pressure of a run chase and see how they fared. They so nearly got their team over the line. The one thing we did see in that previous match was that England have a depth of bowling resources when you consider who they left out and who aren’t even fit enough to be on the tour.
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Team News
There is still talk that Shadab Khan will come back into the side for Usman Qadir but we haven’t seen him as yet. We might well see Naseem Shah here though after that Mohammad Hasnain over that Liam Dawson destroyed almost cost Pakistan the last game.
At a new venue England are likely to revert to what could be considered their strongest side on this tour. That would mean a return for Dawid Malan at three while Mark Wood is likely to play this match and the last one.
Betting
The pitch at the Gaddafi Stadium is said to be a lot drier than the ones we saw in Karachi and I think that might bring Mohammad Nawaz into the game more for the home side. I say into the game more but he comes into this match off the back of a very good outing in game four where he took 3/35 from his four overs. England don’t tend to play left arm spin all that well and there was evidence of that in the previous game.
Nawaz didn’t get much of a chance to bat in the previous game but earlier in the series he clubbed 19 in no time and scored nicely in the Asia Cup prior to that when he got the chance. I expect Nawaz to be involved with the bat and the ball as well as in the field here so his performance line of 26.5 looks on the low side to me. He has bowled well in three of the four matches and on a wicket which should suit him more than the ones in Karachi I think Nawaz can cover this total.
Tips
Back M.Nawaz’s Performance – Over 26.5 points for a 3/10 stake at 1.83 with Bet365
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