PAK vs ENG, T20I series: Preview, stats, and records
Pakistan will play host to England in a seven-match T20I series, starting September 20. The Babar Azam led-side will look to fend off the demons from the Asia Cup final defeat. As for England, all-rounder Moeen Ali will captain the first few matches. Jos Buttler, who is recovering from a calf injury, will join in the later stages. Here is the statistical preview.
Presenting Pakistan's squad for the England series
Pakistan's squad: Babar Azam (captain), Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Shan Masood, Khushdil Shah, Aamer Jamal, Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Hasnain, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed.
Here's England's squad for the seven-match T20I series
England's squad: Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Alex Hales, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Dawid Malan, Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Luke Wood, Jordan Cox, Philip Salt, Richard Gleeson, Tom Helm, Adil Rashid, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, Mark Wood.
England have a considerable advantage over Pakistan (T20Is)
England own a 14-6 win-loss record against Pakistan in T20Is (NR: 1), including a 2-1 win at home in 2021, after losing the first outing by 31 runs. The 2020 series was drawn 1-1, with England and Pakistan winning the second and third T20Is respectively.
Morgan leads the batting charts in Pakistan-England T20Is
Former England cricketer Eoin Morgan has thumped 427 runs in Pakistan-England encounters. He averaged 35.58, with three fifties. Kevin Pietersen (348) and Mohammad Hafeez (324) follow suit. Meanwhile, Babar Azam has smacked 275 runs at 45.83. Mohammad Rizwan holds the most series in a series (176 at 88.00). Hafeez (155) and Liam Livingstone (147) trail him in this regard.
Swann tops the bowling charts
Former England spinner Graeme Swann has the most scalps in Pakistan-England T20I bouts. He pocketed 17 wickets at 10.46. Stuart Broad (15) and Adil Rashid (12) are next in line. Meanwhile, leg-spinner Shadab Khan has scraped 10 wickets at 22.20. Left-armer Shaheen Afridi has seven scalps, averaging 27.20. Swann, Liam Plunkett, and Rashid own the joint-most wickets in a series (6).
Babar, Rizwan can clock these feats
Babar has hammered 2,754 T20I runs at 42.36. He is 246 short of attaining 3,000 runs in the format. He will be the first Pakistani batter and fifth overall, behind Rohit Sharma (3,620), Virat Kohli (3,584), Martin Guptill (3,497), and Paul Stirling (3,011). Rizwan has clobbered 1,943 runs at 51.13. He can breach the 2,000-run mark for Pakistan.
Pakistani bowlers can script these records
Shadab has claimed 81 T20I scalps while averaging 21.03. He can pip the likes of Mohammad Nabi and Yuzvendra Chahal (83 each), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (84), Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal (85 each) in the overall tally. Pacer Haris Rauf has affected 50 dismissals at 23.94. He can trump Swann and Thisara Perera (51 each), and mystery-spinner Sunil Narine (52) among leading wicket-takers in T20Is.
Malan, Moeen can attain these numbers
T20I specialist Dawid Malan has battered 1,411 runs at 39.19. The southpaw is 89 short of 1,500 runs in T20I cricket. He can breeze past the tallies of Shahid Afridi (1,416), Evin Lewis (1,423), Shane Watson (1,462), and Mahela Jayawardene (1,493). Moeen has hammered 798 runs, striking at 144.60. He can touch the 1,000-run mark if in a rhythm.
Rashid, Willey can unlock these feats
Leg-spinner Rashid has snapped up 83 wickets in T20I cricket, averaging 23.22. He can equal Chris Jordan's tally (90). Left-armer David Willey has captured 43 scalps at 22.18. He can reach the 50-wicket mark.
Hales eyes a dominant return
Alex Hales, who replaced an injured Jonny Bairstow for the Pakistan tour and the T20 World Cup, will make an international return after three years. He has tonked 1,644 runs in T20Is, averaging 31.01. He can steer past the tallies of AB de Villiers (1,672), Umar Akmal (1,690), and Colin Munro (1,724).
