Pakistan showed admirable battling qualities to square the Test series with England having done their utmost to throw away a winning position. Have no doubt, this is a talented bunch but the tourists are notoriously difficult to predict. Brilliant-but-flawed would best describe Pakistan and now may not be the time to back Azhar Ali’s team at the end of a tough summer.
Several of the big names are in the ODI squad – including Younes Khan, Shoaib Malik, Yasir Shah and Wahab Riaz – but Ali’s record as skipper is mixed. Strangely appointed captain after the last World Cup in Australia, where he didn’t even make the Pakistan squad, the 30-year-old has overseen ODI series victories over Zimbabwe (twice) and Sir Lanka but also defeats against England in the UAE and in Bangladesh and New Zealand.
Pakistan are a massive 4/1 with Betway beat England in the upcoming five-match one-day series. That is no reflection of their overall ability and too big but it’s a measure of how much bookmakers respect England’s one-day form nowadays.
That World Cup was a real turning point for England. They realised that a complete change of thinking and personnel was needed. Exciting young players were drafted in and given free rein to take risks. They would have won the T20 World Cup in India but for one bad over from Ben Stokes and were much too good for Sri Lanka in the 50-over format after a sluggish start.
Pakistan are much more experienced outfit than the Sri Lankans but most of England’s first-choice XI arrive in terrific form. A fit-again Mark Wood was brilliant with the ball for Durham on T20 finals day, Jason Roy has been smashing big scores at the top of the order for Surrey and Jos Buttler can win a match single-handedly if in the mood. The loss of all-rounder David Willey to injury is a bit of a blow but not a terminal one as England have plenty of options, unlike their opponents.
England are only a general 1/4 to win the ODI series with Pakistan, which isn’t value in anybody’s book. I wouldn’t be interested in the correct score betting either given the way the English weather is behaving but you can back Roy to be England’s run-maker at 7/2 and William Hill are a stand-out 7/1 for Buttler to outscore his team-mates over the five matches.
