Shoaib Akhtar speculates a tough road ahead for Pakistan in England

Subcontinent batsmen are brought up on wickets which are either batting friendly or are supportive to the spinners. The pitches are dry and break as the game progresses. Hence, they are encountered with several issues as they travel abroad. Pakistan team is currently in the United Kingdom (UK) for their Tests against Ireland and England respectively.

While, Ireland, who will be making their Test debut, aren’t speculated to pose much of a threat to the Pakistan team, England might be a different story altogether. Shoaib Akhtar, the retired fast-bowler, has high hopes from the team, but is also apprehensive about their performance bearing in mind the seam-friendly conditions in the country.

The hectic journey for Sarfraz and his men

“The English conditions will prove to be tricky for Pakistani batsmen,” Akhtar was quoted as saying by the media on Saturday at a seminar of the National Highways & Motorway Police (NHMP). The sub-continent nation will play a solitary Test against Ireland in Dublin which will be followed by a couple Tests against England in London and Leeds respectively.

Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi Express also urged Sarfraz Ahmed’s men to not be complacent against Ireland. Pakistan succumbed to a shock defeat against Ireland in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup in the West Indies. The loss ousted them from the tournament and they stumbled before the subsequent stages of the mega event.

Pakistan had a successful campaign in England last time around in 2016 as they managed to win a couple of games, which helped them draw the series. Yasir Shah, the leg-spinner, churned out 19 wickets in four matches and made the English batsmen strain in the series. The team won’t be having him this time around, however, they have a talented bunch who can present a stern challenge to the might of Joe Root’s men.

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