The reigning T20 world champions England are all geared up to take on Pakistan in the first game of the four-match T20I series at Headingley in Leeds on May 22. The series will serve as a prep for both teams as they gear up for the forthcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean.
This will be England's first T20I series in 2024. They last played a T20I series against West Indies in the Caribbean in December last year. West Indies dominated the series and won it 3-2 (5).
On the other hand, Pakistan are battle-hardened as they have already played 13 T20Is in the ongoing calendar year. They have won five, lost seven and a game ended in stalemate due to rain.
Both teams have named their best possible squad for the series and have no injury concerns, making it a mouth-watering affair.
Headingley (Leeds) Pitch Report
Headingley in Leeds will be hosting the T20I series opener and it will only be the third time that the ground will play host to a T20I fixture.
The surface for the first T20I is expected to be flat and there will be plenty of runs on offer for both teams. However, the seamers can come into play (with overcast conditions) as there is a forecast for rain.
Headingley T20I Record and Stats
Total T20I Matches: 2
Matches won batting first: 2
Matches won bowling first: 0
Average first innings score: 188
Average second innings score: 148
Highest total scored: 200 all out by England vs Pakistan
Lowest total recorded: 176 all out by England women vs Pakistan women
Lowest total defended: 176 by ENG-W vs PAK-W
England's squad:
Jos Buttler(wk/c), Philip Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley, Mark Wood, Ben Duckett, Liam Livingstone, Tom Hartley
Pakistan's squad:
Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam(c), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Abbas Afridi, Irfan Khan, Usman Khan, Agha Salman
