Pakistan could shock England in the Test series: Michael Vaughan

Michael Vaughan, the former England skipper, reckons that Pakistan have all the ingredients to shock the Three Lions in their upcoming bilateral series. The tour is scheduled to get underway on Wednesday, August 5 with the opening Test at the Old Trafford in Manchester.

The 45-year-old Vaughan didn’t mince any words in saying that Pakistan are a better side than the West Indies, who lost the three-match series against the Brits after going 1-0 up. The veteran feels that Azhar Ali’s Pakistan can’t be undermined by any stretch of the imagination.

“From an England perspective, it is a good step up. I am not disregarding the West Indies at all, but Pakistan is a better Test match team than the West Indies,” Vaughan was quoted as saying on Cricbuzz.

I am really looking forward to that series: Michael Vaughan

“So, I am really looking forward to that series. It should be a ripper. Pakistan could come here and shock the England team if the English side play like they did in the first Test against West Indies at Southampton,” he stated.

Vaughan, who played 82 Tests in his career, zeroed in on Babar Azam and Azhar Ali as the batters, who could turn up with decent performance on English soil.

“Babar Azam and Azhar (Ali) are two right-hand batsmen of high quality, who know how to play in England conditions. If Pakistan bats first and I am sure that is their plan and get scores on the board, they will really challenge this England side,” Vaughan added.

Azhar has a triple century to his name in Test cricket to go with a couple of double tons as well. As far as Babar is concerned, he has an average in excess of 100 in the World Test Championship with centuries against Australia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The second and third Test will be played at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. Thereafter, the two teams will be locking horns in three T20Is, which all will be played in Manchester. Pakistan recently played a couple of intra-squad warm-up matches. The team reached England earlier this month and then served the quarantine period.