The PAK vs ENG 3rd T20I will be played in Cardiff on May 28, Tuesday from 11 pm IST which is 6.30 pm local time. England are leading the series 1-0 after winning the second T20I by 23 runs.
PAK vs ENG Date and Venue
The PAK vs ENG third T20I will be played in Cardiff on May 28, Tuesday. The match starts at 11 pm IST. A win for England will give them a series win.
PAK vs ENG Match Preview- 3rd T20I, Pakistan tour of England 2024
Pakistan
Pakistan were bowled out for just 160 in the first T20I against England. They headed into this series after winning the series against Ireland but the first game has tested the team and the players. The team is heavily reliant on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to give them consistent starts. That did not happen and as it turned out, Pakistan lost the match.
Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim who came out of their retirement are available in this series as well. Haris Rauf and Azam Khan who missed the T20I series against New Zealand recently are back in the squad. The Men in Green will need to win this match to keep the series alive.
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Pakistan Squad
Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
England
England performed dominatingly in the second T20I after the first game was rained out at Headingley. The hosts posted a total of 183 with Jos Buttler scoring 83. The other batters chipped in as well and the bowlers got wickets of the opposition batsmen. It was a game where all the players played their roles to perfection.
Heading into the third T20I, England will have all their players available for the final two games. Several England players are back from the IPL to play the series. Jos Buttler, the England skipper along with the likes of Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, and Phil Salt all of whom played in the IPL are back. England have named their T20 World Cup squad, which is almost the same squad playing this series.
England Squad
Jos Buttler (C), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt (WK), Reece Topley, and Mark Wood
PAK vs ENG Key Battles
Jos Buttler vs Mohammad Amir
Buttler scored 83 in the second T20I and helped his team post a big total in the game. Amir, the Pakistan pace spearhead will need to dismiss him early.
Phil Salt vs Haris Rauf
Salt was absolutely destructive in the IPL scoring over 400 runs. He loves pace on the ball and Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf bowls with pace as well. Salt scored just 9 in the previous game and is itching to have score big in the next game.
Babar Azam vs Jofra Archer
Archer has a habit of picking the best opposing batters with the ball. He took 2/28 with the ball after his return to international cricket after more than a year. He will be eyeing up Babar Azam’s wicket.
PAK vs ENG Key Players
For England, Jos Buttler and Phil Salt are the key batters on form. With the ball, Archer, Wood, and Adil Rashid will be key.
For Pakistan, Babar and Rizwan will be key with the bat. With the ball. Amir, Shaheen Afridi, and Shadab Khan will be key.
PAK vs ENG Weather and Pitch Report
The weather forecast for this game does not look to be good. The match starts at 6.30 pm local time and as per Accuweather, there is rain expected. The temperature in the evening will be around 16 degrees and the weather conditions will be cloudy and breezy with a spell of showers expected. We can have a shortened game if not a washout.
Talking about the pitch, Sophia Gardens has hosted 10 T20Is with seven matches won by the team batting first and three chasing. There is a definite advantage to batting first at the venue and both teams should know it heading into the contest.
Conclusion
England are third while Pakistan seventh on the ICC T20I rankings heading into this series. The visitors have been tested by England in the second T20I. Another loss for them would mean they will lose the series. England would like to replicate their dominant performance.
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