England vs Pakistan | 2nd Test at The Ageas Bowl - Statistical Preview
Can Shan Masood go big at the Ageas Bowl?
|Getty
After pulling off an almost-impossible heist in the first Test at Old Trafford, England will be hoping to win their second straight series of the summer in the second Test against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl. They will, however, be without their talisman Ben Stokes, who is on personal leave.
Form Guide
England - W W W L W
Post the loss in the first Test against South Africa in Centurion, England have won six of their last seven Tests, thereby proving that the defeat versus the Windies in Southampton was a mere, minor blip. They will enter the second Test versus Pakistan sky high on confidence, having won each of their last three Tests, but the home side will be handicapped by the absence of Ben Stokes, who has opted out of the squad for family reasons. The game would, therefore, be a tough challenge for England, regardless of their form.
Pakistan - L W W D L
Almost in stark contrast to England, Pakistan will enter the second Test at the Ageas bowl battered and bruised, especially after having their heart broken in the first Test at Old Trafford, a game they should have won. That said, one imagines they will still fancy their chances heading into the second Test as there were a ton of positives for the tourists in the first game, not least the form of Yasir Shah and Shan Masood. The absence of Ben Stokes will also definitely boost Pakistan’s chances of levelling the series.
Key Batsmen
Pakistan - Shan Masood
Shan Masood has struck three tons in his last four innings and, given the form he currently finds himself in, there is no reason why he cannot make it four tons in five innings. At Old Trafford, he was, by far, the best batsman in the entire game and it was his 156 in the first innings which set the game up beautifully for the visitors. He did, of course, carelessly throw his wicket away in the second, but all evidence points towards him once again being a thorn in England’s path. Certainly, the favorite to top score for Pakistan, even ahead of Babar Azam.
England - Ollie Pope
The fact that Ollie Pope, just 11 Tests into his career, is being regarded as his side’s ‘key batsman’ speaks volumes of how far he’s come as a cricketer. In each of the last two Tests, the youngster did vital match-winning rescue jobs for his side and his extremely ‘busy’ outlook at the crease has frustrated both Pakistan and the Windies. An Ian Bell clone, Pope looks to be improving as a batsman with every passing match and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he puts the Pakistan bowlers to the sword at the Ageas Bowl on Thursday. He is a trump card for England, that’s for sure.
Key Bowlers
Pakistan - Yasir Shah
A forgotten man in Pakistan cricket, Yasir Shah reminded world cricket of his genius in the first Test in Manchester and almost bowled Pakistan to an improbable victory. His eight wickets in the first Test is what put Pakistan in the driver’s seat for a long while in the match and come Thursday, he will be hoping to once again spin a web around some rather clueless English faces. Heading into the second Test, Shah will be a blind favorite to finish the Test as Pakistan’s best bowler.
England - Chris Woakes
Whilst all focus has been on Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Jofra Archer, chipping away with the wickets silently has been Chris Woakes. In the 4 Tests he’s played thus far this year, Woakes has taken his 18 wickets at 17.88 apiece and his immaculate consistency - with both the old and new ball - has proved to be a nightmare for the batters. In the first Test, he picked a total of just four wickets but really, it was his wickets of Babar Azam and Azhar Ali towards the end of Day 3 that helped England stage a comeback. England’s Mr.Consistent will also be their Mr.Important heading into the second Test.
Venue statistics
There is not a lot to talk about the Ageas Bowl, for only a total of four Tests have happened at this venue, but England did lose the last time they played here - versus the Windies in July. What’s to be noted here is that the team batting first won two of the last three Tests played at this venue, although the last one was won by the team bowling first, which was the Windies. Each of the last two Tests at this venue has also seen the team batting first post under 250. Plus with pace dominating proceedings, Pakistan might just have to rethink their strategy of fielding two specialist leg-spinners.
1XBet Predictions
Rory Burns and Dominic Sibley, as opening partners, had a day off in the first Test but given the prolificness with which they’ve operated as a pair, it would be rather naive to expect them to fail two Tests in a row. We, here at 1XBet, predict Burns and Sibley to post a higher opening partnership than their Pakistani counterparts in the match.
Squads
England: Joe Root (C), James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Dominic Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler (wk), Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ollie Pope, Dom Sibley, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson
Pakistan: Azhar Ali (C), Babar Azam (vice-captain), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Imam ul Haq, Imran Khan(Sr), Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz and Yasir Shah.
Venue: Ageas Bowl, Southampton
When to Watch: Aug 13 to 17 - 3:30 PM IST
Where to Watch: Sony Six, Sony Liv and Jio TV
