Pakistan host England in the first Test match of their three-match series at Dubai. The game begins on January 17.
Last time the two sides met in a Test series, it had resulted in the outbreak of a huge spot-fixing scandal and culminated into the ban and jail of three Pakistani cricketers. The fans will hope for a better end to this series which starts with the first Test match in Dubai.
England were earlier hit by an injury to their all-rounder Tim Bresnan, which will mean that one of Chris Tremlett or Steven Finn will replace him in the playing 11. Stuart Broad was hit on his toe in the nets but he should be fit to take field and share the new ball with James Anderson. Graeme Swann will be the lone spinner despite his exhortation to play an extra spinner in those conditions.
Alastair Cook continued to show form in the tour games, with a century and a half-century in the three innings he got. Andrew Strauss carved out a couple of fifties while Jonathon Trott will be relieved to be back on the field after an injury had ruled him out of some games against India.
Pakistan will be led by the usually defensive Misbah-ul-Haq but to his credit, he has got the results going his way. Not only has Pakistan lost only one Test match of the 12 he has led them in, he also averages 75 as a batsman in those matches. Along with Younis Khan and Mohammad Hafeez, he will be the key to the side’s fortunes.
Hafeez will be a key component in the Pakistani wheel but his all-round skills will be tested against the world’s number one team. He also sounded out about Saeed Ajmal’s new delivery that could be unveiled in this game but stopped short of revealing it.
Hafeez said, “It will be something new in cricket. He has worked on it a lot for the last six to eight months, but not bowled it internationally. It means he has a new weapon and, because of his extraordinary work, he has command over it. I don't want to reveal anything; you'll get to see it soon.”
This could be an interesting match-up and a test for the newest number one Test match side in the world. The pitch could hold the key given how difficult it is to do both, play the strokes and get any assistance as a bowler, from it. It could well turn out to be a battle of attrition.
The Pakistan v England 1st Test match will begin at 6.00 am GMT on January 17.
