Pakistan vs England: Ben Stokes’ aspect look to match 2022 record-breaking Take a look at sequence sweep on Pakistan return

Forward of England’s three-Take a look at tour of Pakistan that begins in Multan on Monday – solely stay on Sky Sports activities – we glance again on their astonishing 3-0 sequence whitewash from two years in the past.

England’s ‘Bazball’ model of cricket blossomed on its first abroad outing, sweeping their hosts in spectacular vogue – breaking a good few data alongside the way in which.

Can we count on extra of the identical in 2024? Will we see a extra refined method or extra of the identical from Ben Stokes’ aspect? And can Pakistan be extra ready for the onslaught this day out?

England smash 500 in a day to set tone for sequence

The primary Take a look at in Rawalpindi will all the time be remembered for a most exceptional, record-breaking first day’s play which noticed England rack up a staggering 506 runs!

Let’s reel off a number of the notable milestones secured: the primary aspect to attain 500 on day one in every of a Take a look at, England’s 506 additionally the fifth-highest whole all-time on any day’s play and the brand new report excessive in Pakistan, beating 417; Zak Crawley (122 off 111 balls) cracked the quickest hundred – off 86 balls – by an England opener in Exams; Ben Duckett (107 off 110), Ollie Pope (108 off 104) and Harry Brook (101no off 81) additionally notched tons, with the latter’s maiden century briefly threatening Gilbert Jessop’s 76-ball and 122-year report for England.

England would finally rack up a large 657 runs of their first innings, however the job was removed from executed. Pakistan too highlighted the placid nature of the pitch, boasting three centurions of their very own in captain Babar Azam (136) and openers Imam-ul-Haq (121) and Abdullah Shafique (114) as they replied with a rating of 579.

The 78 in arrears proved a lot for England to work with, nonetheless, because the vacationers rapidly cracked 264 in solely 35.5 overs on the fourth afternoon, setting Pakistan 342, which might finally show past the house aspect as James Anderson (4-36) and Ollie Robinson (4-50) spilt eight of the ten second-innings wickets to fall to see England wrap up a most memorable 74-run victory.

Wooden burst wraps up sequence as England edge second Take a look at

As unconventional, eye-catching and entertaining as England’s method was of their series-opening win in Rawalpindi, there have been a couple of twitchy moments on the ultimate day of what in any other case appears a most emphatic of victories.

Saud Shakeel (76) and Mohammad Rizwan (46) had Pakistan inside 167 runs of victory, with solely three wickets down, at one stage. Even following their departures, that equation grew to become 84 to win with 5 wickets in hand earlier than Anderson and Robinson ran by means of the tail.

The second Take a look at in Multan noticed a equally nervy end, although this time it was speedster Mark Wooden who was the star of the present, taking 4-65 which included a five-over spell of 3-17 both aspect of lunch on the fourth day which swung the sport England’s approach.

After Brook made it two tons in two Exams for the sequence together with his second-innings 108, Pakistan had been wanting well-placed to chase down their 355-run goal when progressing their in a single day rating of 198-4 to 290-5, with Shakeel (94) once more proving robust to shift till Wooden denied him a maiden Take a look at century when securing the important – and considerably controversial – wicket on the stroke of lunch.

Third umpire Joel Wilson deemed that stand-in wicketkeeper Pope had received his fingertips below the ball when taking the catch. It left Pakistan seven down, nonetheless requiring 64 runs to win and the tail provided little resistance after the interval.

File-breaking Rehan’s dream debut clinches sequence sweep

Make that three Take a look at matches in Pakistan and three Brook centuries because the then 23-year-old actually cemented his middle-order spot for years to come back, however this win in Karachi belonged to England’s youngest Take a look at debutant, Rehan Ahmed.

At 18 years and 128 days, the Leicestershire leg-spinner was handed his first cap and subsequently grew to become the youngest man in Take a look at historical past to take a five-wicket haul on debut as his second-innings 5-48 ripped out Pakistan’s center order and turned the sport on its head.

After taking two wickets within the first innings, Rehan was reintroduced to the assault as Pakistan had been three down and their lead having simply handed 100, however that may swiftly turn into six as {the teenager} picked up the important thing scalp of skipper Babar Azam for 54, added Rizwan cheaply when nicking off to a peach of a supply after which noticed off Shakeel (53) for his third within the area of 4 overs.

Raheem would add Mohammad Wasim (2) and Salman Agha (21) after tea to clinch his magic maiden five-for, kissing the turf in celebration as his father Naeem too celebrated wildly within the crowd.

Left with 167 to chase, Duckett led the way in which with an unbeaten 82 as England – victorious solely twice earlier than in Exams in Pakistan, the final coming at the hours of darkness of Karachi in 2000 – received by eight wickets to seal a historic 3-0 sequence sweep on their first tour the nation for 17 years

What can England count on from Pakistan in 2024 tour?

Pakistan’s Take a look at kind going into this sequence is abysmal, having received solely three of their previous 17 matches, with their newest losses coming towards Bangladesh, victorious over their hosts for the primary time in Exams on their solution to securing a 2-0 sequence sweep in August.

And of the three wins Pakistan did earn in that span, all had been achieved throughout two excursions of Sri Lanka, with the group now winless of their final 10 dwelling Exams relationship again to beating South Africa in February 2021. Such kind has contributed to them falling to eighth within the ICC Take a look at rankings, their lowest place since 1965.

“It’s been horrible, to say the least,” former ladies’s worldwide Urooj Mumtaz stated on the Sky Sports activities Cricket podcast. “I don’t think Pakistan themselves understand what their strength is. Their bowling has been an issue, their batting lacks prowess and there’s concerns about fitness. It’s a new low.

“We simply have not developed as a red-ball aspect, not to mention making an attempt to catch as much as Bazball and what the opposite groups are doing.”

That stated, former England captain Michael Atherton feels will probably be robust for England to copy their 3-0 whitewash from three years in the past.

“They caught Pakistan cold last time with Bazball,” Atherton stated. “Pakistan are forewarned this time and I suspect will have some better plans up their sleeve.

“You’d should say England are favourites however I don’t assume the scoreline would be the identical because it was final time. I’d be very shocked if it completed 3-0.”

How would possibly England line up within the sequence opener?

Crucially for the guests, their talismanic skipper Stokes is about to characteristic within the first Take a look at in Multan come Monday, although it’s unlikely he’ll bowl, which barely complicates the stability of the aspect.

With Stokes slotting again into the batting line-up at No 6, and Jamie Smith taking the gloves at No 7, England aren’t essentially determined for further batting depth from the tail, which may end in all-rounders Chris Woakes, and his poor abroad Take a look at report, and Rehan – regardless of his debut five-for on England’s final tour of Pakistan – falling down the pecking order.

Gus Atkinson is assured to occupy one of many 4 bowling spots after his beautiful success this summer time, with off-spinner Shoaib Bashir and left-arm spinner Jack Leach two of the others, notably if it is a turning monitor.

That leaves the extra pacier choices of Brydon Carse and Olly Stone possible battling it out for one spot. Neither characterize a lot of a assure, with Carse uncapped at Take a look at stage and the injury-plagued Stone having solely performed 5 instances since making his debut 5 years in the past – although two of these got here this summer time, seeing him the person in possession.

Joe Root supplies a fifth bowling possibility together with his part-time off-spin, and will turn into a extra pivotal a part of the assault because the second spinner if it’s a extra seam-friendly monitor ready in Multan, by which case England would possible change Leach with Woakes, the veteran most well-liked to Matthew Potts, who impressed throughout the current ODI sequence towards Australia however has but to play a Take a look at abroad.

Predicted England lineup for first Take a look at: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wkt), Gus Atkinson, Olly Stone, Shoaib Bashir, Jack Leach

Pakistan vs England schedule – stay on Sky Sports activities

First Take a look at: Multan – October 7-11

Second Take a look at: Multan – October 15-19

Third Take a look at: Rawalpindi – October 24-28

Each match from the 2024 Girls’s T20 World Cup can also be stay on Sky Sports activities from October 3-20 with Australia aiming for a 3rd straight title and seventh general, and England looking for to triumph for the primary time because the inaugural version in 2009.

Watch the primary Take a look at between Pakistan and England in Multan, stay on Sky Sports activities Cricket and Essential Occasion from 5.30am Monday (first ball 6.30am).