Pakistan bowled first against England in the semi-final

England on Saturday claimed victory against Pakistan and asked their opponents to play first in the final match of the group stage of the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India.

Pakistan still have a chance to finish their campaign with 10 points, but their run rate is a cause for concern. To overcome the Kiwis, they require a substantial win against England.

Now that the Green Shirts will have to bowl first, they need to bowl England out for 50 runs and chase the target in two overs or 100 runs in three overs.

On the other hand, England go into the match with goals of their own as the team needs to secure their place in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Head to head

England and Pakistan have faced each other in ten matches in the ICC ODI World Cup. Out of these 10 games, England have emerged victorious in four, while Pakistan have triumphed on five occasions. A match ended without a result.

The highest total posted by England is 334 runs, while the highest score achieved by Pakistan is 348 when these two teams have met in the WC. Pakistan’s lowest total is 134 and England’s lowest is 165 in this prestigious event.

Pitch Reference

The surface at Eden Gardens in Kolkata can favor the batsmen. Hence, a high-scoring encounter is expected on a course that offers value for players adept at making strokes. As the game progresses, the spinners will try to exploit the conditions. Opting to bowl first could prove to be a wise decision at Eden Gardens.

Formations

England: Jonny Bairstow, David Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (C), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, David Willey, Gus Atkinson, Adil Rashid

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, S Afridi, Mohammad Wasim, Haris Rauf

More to come…