Shoaib Akhtar warns Pakistan: England Test series 'Difficult to handle
Pakistan's upcoming three-Test series against England is shaping up to be a tough challenge for the Babar Azam-led side. Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has warned his countrymen to be prepared for difficult conditions during the series.
The first Test will begin at Headingley in Leeds on August 19, and Akhtar believes England could prepare pitches that offer assistance to their seam bowlers and make things difficult for Pakistan's batters.
England are likely to make use of conditions that help seam bowling, which could test Pakistan's batting line-up, according to Akhtar. He expects the hosts to avoid giving Pakistan an opportunity to take control of the matches, citing England's likely response to the mistakes made by the West Indies in their recent series against Pakistan.
The West Indies' mistakes provided Pakistan with a chance to get into a winning position, but Akhtar believes England will learn from this and prepare seam-friendly conditions that will be very difficult for Pakistan to handle.
Pakistan enter the series after drawing their two-Test tour of the West Indies 1-1. The series also included Pakistan's first away Test win since July 2023. The team will play a four-day warm-up match against a Select XI from August 12 to 15 as part of their preparations for the England series.
The series will be Pakistan's first Test tour of England since 2020 and is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle. The second Test will be played at Lord's from August 27 to 31, while the third Test will take place at Edgbaston in Birmingham from September 9 to 13.
Pakistan's batting line-up will be put to the test in England, where seam bowling conditions are likely to favor the hosts. Akhtar's warning highlights the challenges that lie ahead for Pakistan as they prepare to take on England in their first Test series since 2020.
Pakistan's team will need to adapt quickly to the English conditions if they are to succeed in the series. The team's preparations, including their warm-up match against a Select XI, will be crucial in helping them prepare for the challenges that lie ahead.
The upcoming series will be a crucial test for Pakistan's batting line-up, and Akhtar's warning serves as a reminder of the challenges that they will face in England. The series will be closely watched by cricket fans around the world, and Pakistan's performance will be closely scrutinized.
Pakistan will take to the field at Headingley in Leeds on August 19, ready to face the challenges of the English conditions. The series will be a crucial test of their batting line-up, and Akhtar's warning highlights the difficulties that lie ahead.
Source: Yahoo Sports