*LEEDS: Pakistan is all set to win the series against England after 22years at English home ground as it had come to the United Kingdom to learnand progress as a new Test combination and had aimed to learn even if theylose against a formidable and experienced England team.*
On Friday they will start as favorites to clean sweep England in a shorttwo-match series and jump from seventh in the Test ranking to fifthfollowing their surprising yet emphatic nine-wicket win at Lord’s.
So confident is Pakistan that they didn’t keep their final eleven untilFriday morning but instead announced long-time tourist Usman Salahuddinwill replace Babar Azam who, unfortunately, broke his wrist during hislead-giving 68 not out at Lord’s.
Pakistan have not beaten England at Leeds since Imran Khan’s side won herein 1987 but their last Test – a neutral venue Test – saw them beat a matureAustralia on the back of seven key wickets by Mohammad Amir.
Amir looked in good touch in the second innings at Lord’s where he finishedwith 4-36 and together with Mohammad Abbas – who took eight wickets in thematch – bamboozled England to a position where their most senior playerAlastair Cook admitting that “a lot of careers will be on the line atLeeds.”
That sums up the mood in both the camps. Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed vowed histeam will do their best to win an important Test.
“This is another very important Test for us,” said Sarfraz on Thursday. “Wewill try our level best to win the match and the series against a very goodEngland team. We are in a process of learning so if we win here then itwill be remembered for a long time.”
Sarfraz backed Usman for the Test, saying he has been touring with the teamfor some time now.
“We will play Usman,” said Sarfraz of the 27-year-old who made 69 not outin the side game against Leicestershire ahead of the Lord’s Test. “He isplaying well and we found him better so that’s why we are going with him.”
Usman played two one-day internationals but managed single figures coresafter he was sent at number seven and five on team’s West Indies tour in2011 and was part of the squad of last year’s West Indies tour andPakistan’s series against Sri Lanka in UAE.
Sarfraz admitted big individual scores will be needed from batsmen.
“You seek improvement all the time so we need to improve on individualscores, make the 80s and 100s which we didn’t do at Lord’s,” said Sarfrazwhose team scored 363 with Babar (68 not out), Asad Shafiq (59), ShadabKhan (52) and Azhar Ali 950) all settled but did not reached-figures mark.
England will also hope their two senior batsmen Cook and skipper Joe Rootimprove on their 184 and 242 at Lord’s. Cook will set a new world recordfor most consecutive Test, leaving behind the great Australia Alan Borderwho played 153 matches on the trot. But it could be his last as well if hedoesn’t score big.
England is also sweating on the fitness of all-rounder Ben Stokes whosuffered a hamstring injury and will be assessed. The 19-year-old left-armpacer Sam Curran is named his cover up while Jonny Bairstow has recoveredfrom a blow to the knee.
Root admitted Stokes’s injury was a worry that delayed the announcement ofthe team.
“Until we know how serious it is it’s hard to make decisions and because ofthat we can’t name a team today,” said Root.
“Of course if Ben’s fit, we want him in the side, he’s one of our bestplayers. He brings a lot to the table and offers so much to this team.”
Root said England needed improvements.
“It was very clear where we needed to improve from last week. We’ve hadsome good preparation, the guys have really worked hard and now it’s justdoing it, going out and proving a point, putting a really strongperformance in as a group and showing some pride in the badge.
“When you are winning and performing well you have to keep churning outthose performances and when you’re on the other side of it you’ve got tomake sure you turn it around”.