Looking ahead: Series serves as World T20 rehearsal for both sides

Rafatullah expected to make debut while Sarfraz may return to playing eleven

DUBAI:

Both Pakistan and England have next year’s World T20 in their sights as they lock horns in the opening T20I of the three-match series that is set to be played at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday.

Veteran Peshawar-born opener Rafatullah Mohmand is finally going to be rewarded for his stellar domestic performances in the white-ball formats, with the right-hander is likely to open the innings in all three games. Rafatullah, at 39, will become Pakistan’s oldest T20I debutant.

Pakistan might not have Ahmed Shehzad available for the first game; the Lahore opener is unwell and didn’t take part in the practice session that was held at the ICC Cricket Academy ground on Wednesday evening.

The Greenshirts are also expected to restore wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed into the starting eleven, with Mohammad Rizwan most likely to make way.

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Sarfraz was left out of three consecutive T20Is against Zimbabwe as well as the two-match series against Sri Lanka. He also missed the T20Is on the return tour to Zimbabwe as he was performing Hajj.

Rizwan is expected to be drafted in the team for the last game of the series in Sharjah as the team management wants to give all players in the squad a chance.

Speaking to the media before the opening game, Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi termed England a formidable opponent, adding that his team would need to fire on all cylinders to topple them.

“England are world class, we would need to perform really well to beat them,” he said. “These games provide an ideal opportunity to hone our game plans ahead of next year’s World T20 in India.”

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Afridi claimed that he had worked really hard on his own game and knows that his performance needs to be out of the top drawer. He feels that to win against England, he needs to lead from the front.

“I know the importance of my own form as an all-rounder,” he said. “When I contribute, the team wins. I have been working hard on my game. All top players go through lean runs, I am no different. Having said that, I will try my level best to deliver in this series.”

Playing in packed stadiums a real bonus: Morgan

Like Afridi, English captain Eoin Morgan is also hoping to utilise the series to experiment ahead of next year’s WorldT20 in India.

Morgan was happy to note that the two games in Dubai are expected to bring in big crowds to the Dubai International Stadium.

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“When you play in front of packed crowds you are tested thoroughly,” he said. “Packed crowds in Dubai are going to test us ahead of the World T20 in India, and are going to provide us great preparation on wickets that are similar to those in India.”

Morgan added that England have done remarkably well as a unit in both limited overs formats. “The squad has settled in really well, the idea is to build properly for the big event next year,” he said. “I am very happy with the response that my players have given since last summer. We are progressing and breaking new barriers all the time.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2015.

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