England begin their T20 World Cup preparation with a four-match series against Pakistan at the end of May.
Jos Buttler’s team are once again among the cricket betting favourites to win the competition, even after a disappointing 50-over World Cup last year.
They might have relinquished their 50-over crown in India, but England are looking to defend their T20 world title after lifting the trophy in Australia a couple of years ago.
They are looking to become the first team to ever win back-to-back T20 World Cups, and the first nation to win the tournament on three occasions - West Indies are the only other team to have won it twice.
Where to Watch England vs Pakistan
The England vs Pakistan T20 series will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. This is available through the Sky Go app or Now TV.
With a raft of live betting options for the series, make sure your stream is up to speed to keep you up to date with the action. Radio broadcasts are also available, and 888Sport’s website and app will show you a scorecard throughout play.
Keep your eyes peeled for highlights on YouTube and social media throughout the series.
Live Coverage of England vs Pakistan
Just as when you’re after an England cricket team vs Pakistan National cricket team Test match scorecard, you have plenty of options for this T20 series.
ESPN Cricinfo and the BBC are the two most popular, but various other platforms will have scorecards or ball-by-ball coverage.
Return of Jofra Archer
Jofra Archer has had a string of elbow issues, keeping him from playing for England since March 2023. The T20 World Cup has long been targeted for Archer’s return, and he will be making his comeback in the warm-up series against Pakistan in May.
Archer was a difference-maker for England in the 2019 50-over World Cup, and had excelled in the early stages of his Test career before injuries sidelined him for a prolonged period.
England fans have been craving Archer’s return – he forced his way into the 50-over side with his performances against Pakistan five years ago, and will be keen to show he’s still got it this summer.
Rob Key, managing director of the England team, said, “Jofra’s that bowler that’s just so special you do everything you can to try to get him back playing. We’ve taken the longer road this time.
"He’s one of those rare cricketers. When you look at the attributes you want for a bowler in international cricket, Jofra has all of them. A lot of bowlers tick one or two of those, but Jofra has absolutely all of them.
"For Test cricket or white-ball cricket, he’s someone who can bowl at any stage. He can start, bowl in the middle and at the end, and he can smack it as well.
"It’s a better game when pace is in it. Fingers crossed we continue to go in the right direction with him.”
England vs Pakistan Betting Tips
There have been some great matches between England and Pakistan over the years.
While this series is more about preparation for the World Cup than the actual results, there is plenty at stake for the players involved, and both teams will want to take good form across the Atlantic.
England’s most recent taste of T20 cricket was a 3-2 series loss to the West Indies at the end of last year. The makeshift squad was very different from the one that will be taking on Pakistan, however.
Pakistan’s last 10 international matches were T20s against New Zealand. They won only three of those matches. The tourists have three T20s against Ireland before they take on England, and they welcome back both Haris Rauf and Mohammad Rizwan.
England are joint-second favourites to lift the World Cup at the time of writing, while Pakistan are priced at 8/1. The hosts will be favoured in this series once odds are released.
It will be interesting to see how much consistency of selection there is from England – there are several places up for grabs, and they may choose to experiment with the balance of the side.
We fancy England to start this series strongly. Jos Buttler is always a good pick to top score, particularly as he’s locked in at the top of the order. Phil Salt has also been in superb form, with the most runs of any overseas player in the IPL.
In the bowling ranks, look for Reece Topley to take plenty of wickets if he gets movement with the new ball. He’s had a mixed time of the T20 circuit this winter, but his career numbers speak for themselves.
England Pakistan Cricket Schedule 2024
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22nd May – First T20, Headingley
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25th May – Second T20, Edgbaston
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28th May – Third T20, Sophia Gardens
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30th May – Fourth T20, The Oval
England Squad vs Pakistan
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Jos Buttler (captain)
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Moeen Ali
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Jofra Archer
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Jonny Bairstow
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Harry Brook
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Sam Curran
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Ben Duckett
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Tom Hartley
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Will Jacks
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Chris Jordan
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Liam Livingstone
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Adil Rashid
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Phil Salt
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Reece Topley
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Mark Wood
Pakistan Squad vs England
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Babar Azam (captain)
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Abrar Ahmed
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Azam Khan
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Fakhar Zaman
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Haris Rauf
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Hasan Ali
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Iftikhar Ahmed
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Imad Wasim
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Mohammad Abbas Afridi
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Mohammad Amir
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Mohammad Rizwan
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Muhammad Irfan Khan
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Naseem Shah
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Saim Ayub
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Salman Ali Agha
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Shadab Khan
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Shaheen Shah Afridi
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Usman Khan
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*
