PAKISTAN’s BEST CHANCE TO CONQUER ENGLAND

PAKISTAN’s BEST CHANCE TO CONQUER ENGLAND

AUTHOR: FAIZAN M SIRWAL  (@freddiefaizan)

Many test teams came to England since 2009. But none with the (Exception South Africa – 2012 and Sri Lanka 2014) toppled the Three Lions side in their own den. Be it an aggressive Aussie side, Astute Dhoni’s Indian team or spirited kiwi side, all suffered humiliation in England more than once from the English test side in last 8 years. Also, recently England annihilated meagre Sri Lankan side in all three tests, only Rain-God came to the rescue of Sri Lanka in the last test at Lords cushioning them from a possible 3-0 drubbing. England test team has been exceptional in their own backyard losing only 2 test series out of 15. What makes England Gargantuan at home from past half of dozen years is the test team filled with prodigious performers. With the likes of Cook and Root they have some level heads and stroke makers like Stokes, Hales and Bairstow  to give them edge on Aggression front in the batting. The pace bowling is the exceptionally safe in the hands of ever improving and performing Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad. With Steve Finn, they form one of the lethal fast bowling attacks in the tests. But the USP of this England test team is the set of Aggressive All-rounders who can take the game by the scruff of the neck especially in the batting. So, all these factors contribute to the sort of invincibility England has created at home from past some years. So, why then Pakistan have best chance to conquer England this time around in tests, although have not played any test cricket in top non-Asian countries from past 3 and half years. Here are the reasons that can give Pakistan team, much required zing to win the elusive test series in England after 2 decades.

1) CHARGED PACE BATTERY: It is no rocket science to put pace bowling as a vital cog in the armory of any Pakistan team. Even if didn’t had mentioned this, everyone would have taken it as the strength of Pakistan on their own. Every keen or average cricket observer knows that Pakistan has factory of pacers getting manufactured day in day out on the streets of Lahore, Rawalpindi, Karachi , Peshawar and other areas of the country. You can judge the strength of Pakistan pace attack by the fact that ever dependable and experienced Junaid Khan couldn’t find a place in the test squad for England. In the shape of Rahat Ali, Imran Khan and Sohail Khan , Pakistan has three workhorses and they possess much necessary seam and swing to succeed in the English conditions. Wahab Riaz gives this bowling an impetus of aggression. He can decimate the batting lineups with his style of bowling. He can be Mitchell Johnson of Pakistan and we all know about the trepidation that will be created in the minds of English batsmen to face such kind of bowler. But what gives this attack, the zest to succeed is the return of Mohammad Amir. He has lost virtually nothing at all, after coming from 5 years ban. His bowling fitness is top class and he still bowls the booming inswingers to right handers at very high pace. His deliveries still do the talk with air and wood. Ask Marcus Trescothick, who received an unplayable delivery from Amir in the first innings of 3-day practice match at Taunton versus Somerset. He could not have done anything to that delivery. It was on middle stump and shaped away at last fraction to take an edge successfully in the gloves of the wicket keeper. Quoting Trescothick, “There are many bowlers who can swing bowl in the air, but he (Amir) swings it very late, which is very rare. Certainly, he is the major threat for England batsmen” .This can really send some warning bells to English batting line up.
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                         

                       
2) SPIN TO WIN- If the England pitches are flat , then Pakistan also possesses the spinners to win them the game. Zulfiqar Babar is the disciplined left armer , who can bowl day in day out on same length and line. He has also well disguised armer which can be lethal for any right hander. But the man who can trouble England even on dead track is the Yasir Shah. Praised by Shane Warne as the next big thing in the world of leg spinners. He poses a definite threat to the English batters who usually struggle to even an ordinary spinner. Yasir shah has taken 76 wickets in just 12 tests and will be looking to take 24 more wickets to complete his 100 wicket milestone in 16 or less tests. But, it will be also a real test for Yasir shah’s bowling, as he is playing first time in tests outside Asia.

               

3) BEST TEST MIDDLE ORDER- Judging by experience and record, Pakistan has the best middle order batting right now in the world cricket. They possess two technically sound test players in the shape of Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali. Both have proved themselves at the test level.  Also, Asad Shafiq will be looking to become the first no. 6th batsman in the world to make 9 centuries at that spot overtaking the legendary sir Garfield sobers. Also, in Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis khan , they possess two old warriors who can flatten any opposition with grit and determination to bat for long time without breaking a sweat. Only Major worry in batting for Pakistan is their dicey opening in English conditions. But if Hafeez and Shan Masood can even manage decent opening partnership, that will certainly raise the confidence of experienced middle order. An Important stat to share about Pakistan batting is that 6 out of 7 batsmen in possible Starting X1 has test average above 40. It would have been epic stat if more regular opener Ahmed Shehzad was playing instead of Shan Masood, then all first seven batsmen average would have been 40.


     

4) MISSING LINKS IN ENGLISH BATING: England has some weaknesses in the batting which can be exposed by strong pakistan bowling. Likes of James Vince, Bairstow, hales, stokes and co. has very different skill sets to tackle with. Also Nic Compton’s position is vacant at no. 3. Surely there are some missing links in the english batting which can easily exposed and Amir and co.

5) MOST SUCCESSFUL TEST SKIPPER : In Misbah, Pakistan has the most successful captain in the history of Pakistan cricket.With such level head on his shoulders, he can manage the players with some comfort in and off the field. Having taken the test captaincy after Lords fiasco in 2010, he has led brilliantly and at the same time calmly his side to be ranked currently no. 3 in tests.In his captaincy,his side also dismantled twice England in the UAE . Things will depend very much on his captaincy, if Pakistan has to upstage England in their own backyard.


Considering above mentioned specks, Pakistan has all the aptness in the world to succeed as a test team in the English conditions. Just they have to play with the full focus, energy and brians to the end the English team’s crescendo at home. Also they need to guard themselves from any off-field demons and lures. On field,Whatever may be result of the test series, it is guranteed that it will be action packed, entertaining and enthralling test series. Can’t wait  for the Lord’s bell to ring on 14th of July!!!!