1st ODI Location: Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds
1st ODI Date: Wednesday, May 22
History
England and Pakistan are squaring off in a four-match T20I series that leads right into the 2024 T20I World Cup. The first T20I will be played on Wednesday at Headingly, with the three remaining matches at Edgbaston (Birmingham), Sophia Gardens (Cardiff), and The Oval (London).
The two countries will then leave England for the World Cup, which will take place in the USA and the West Indies. Enngland’s first match of the World Cup is on June 4 against Scotland in Barbados, while Pakistan begins its campaign on June 6 against the USA in Dallas. The 4th T20I in this series is played on May 30, meaning that form from this series will directly impact England and Pakistan.
It is worth noting that England is the defending T20I World Cup champion. They defeated Pakistan in the 2022 edition of the tournament in Australia. The competition was originally supposed to have been played in 2020, but it was delayed for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
England is the third favorite to win the World Cup at 73/17, behind favorites India (36/13) and Australia (73/20). At 48/5, Pakistan is the seventh favorite to win, but they are seen as having a chance given that eighth favorites Afghanistan (34/1) have much longer odds to win the trophy.
England
The biggest news out of the England camp is that fast bowler Jofra Archer is back in the picture. Archer hasn’t played for England in over a year, as he has been plagued by a troublesome and long-standing elbow injury. The pacer has also been included in England’s provisional World Cup squad, so this is his chance to impress and prove his fitness to the point that he secures a seat on the plane across the Atlantic.
England will go hard in this one as they look to bounce back from a tour of India in February that resulted in a chastening 4-1 defeat in the T20Is.
Pakistan
It will be interesting to see what Pakistan brings here. Last month, there was a huge shakeup in the coaching ranks of all formats, with South African Gary Kirsten being given the head coaching position in white-ball formats. This is not an ideal development less than 60 days from a World Cup.
I would expect more continuity than new ideas, with Kirsten likely to lean on the experience of senior manager Wahab Riaz and captain Babar Azam regarding selection and tactical decisions.
Best Bets
It is worth watching the weather in Leeds before betting on this one. The forecast isn’t ideal, meaning a player like Archer returning from an injury might be rested rather than played on a greasy, tricky outfield.
I like England to win the first T20I and take the series on home soil. For player bets, I like Azam to lead by example with the best knock for the visitors at 19/10. Archer is a 47/20 favorite to be England’s top bowler. Mark Wood at 12/5 is worth a look, especially if Archer is held out.
