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ENG vs PAK | 1st ODI: Stokes & his ensemble cast battle patient Babar Azam's men

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The English people are right now thinking anything but cricket with the alarming Covid-19 situation of their national cricket team on one hand and the chorus of joy of "It's coming home" buzzing in the air on the other, thanks to their football team reaching its first ever major tournament final in five decades. 

It is in these circumstances that Ben Stokes and his quickly ensembled team would look to put focus back on the national game of England. 

Though he has limited resources up his sleeve thanks to nine uncapped players being part of his 15-member squad, which is totally different from the team that played Sri Lanka, barely a week ago. But as they say, minimal resources demand maximum optimization, Stokes and coach Chris Silverwood would have their task cut out trying to put 11 players from the 15, who will meet for the very first time on the match day itself. 

As far as Babar Azam's men are concerned, they seem to be England's saviour in moments of ultimate crisis. If they were only the second team to agree to tour England during last summer's pandemic, in this summer, they have again shown exemplary courage while saying that the thought of ending the tour or pushing it further never crossed their minds. 

Pakistan, although looks a much more experienced side than England on paper, but they have their own challenges trying to map out the new English recruits. The team hasn't had the ideal practice conditions in Derby either as rains marred most of their practice sessions. 

So it is in these conditions that 50-over cricket returns to Sophia Gardens in Cardiff after two years. 

England vs Pakistan: Match Details

Match No.- 1st ODI

Date and Time: 08 July, 2021, 05:30 pm IST, 12:00 pm GMT, 01:00 pm Local

Venue: Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

Broadcast and Livestream in India: Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV

Pitch Report

If the T20I match between England and Sri Lanka is anything to go by, then Cardiff is not the right kind of pitch to begin the series with. However, over the years this venue in Wales has produced sensational results and thus there is no doubt as to why it cannot produce a good wicket. 

It has been a happy hunting ground for the chasers with a record of 16-8 in terms of wins and losses for a team chasing at Sophia Gardens in ODIs. Over the last few years, it has also become a huge scoring venue as have most grounds in England.

Weather Forecast and Toss

After a continuous spell of rain, it is expected that the weather in Cardiff on July 8 is going to be fine with plenty of sunshine on offer. Chances of rain are minimal too, thus giving spectators what they truly deserve, a full game of cricket. With fine weather in store, the team winning the toss would like to chase. 

Team News

England

Everybody has the news as far as the England team is concerned. With nine new faces, it would come down to luck as to who all get into the last XI. 

Anyhow, it is an opportunity for guys like James Vince, Saqib Mahmood, Will Jacks and Lewis Gregory to showcase their mettle and push for a first team call up eventually. 

Craig Overton, Matt Parkinson and Danny Briggs would like make team as well with Stokes, Dawid Malan and Ben Duckett being natural choices as middle order batter and wicketkeeper respectively. 

Probable XI

Phil Salt (wk), James Vince, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes (c), Dan Lawrence, Will Jacks, Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Saqib Mahmood, Matt Parkinson, Danny Briggs

Pakistan 

The Pakistan unit has had a setback in the form an injury to Haris Sohail. That however has made way for Pakistan Super League's Player of the Series- Shoaib Maqsood to bat at number five or even at number three with Babar Azam opening the innings alongside Fakhar Zaman. 

Among bowlers, it might be tempting to play Shahnawaz Dahani who is coming from a great run in PSL. But with Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali in the line up, it would be very difficult for the Larkana born to get a game. 

Probable XI

Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam (c), Sohaib Maqsood, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz/Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf

Dream XI team

James Vince, Babar Azam, Dawid Malan, Shoaib Maqsood, Mohammad Rizwan (wk) (vc), Ben Stokes (c), Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Hasan Ali, Saqib Mahmood, Shaheen Afridi

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We still walk in as number one team: Ben Stokes on facing Pakistan with a new squad

The England and Wales Cricket Board were left with no choice but to call on Ben Stokes back who was performing relatively well for his county Durham in the T20 Blast. Rushed on to the captaincy following an overhaul of the squad due to Covid-19 cases in the England camp, Stokes believes that he and the entire new squad will still take the field in the entire series as the number one English side. "The one thing that I told myself to make sure that I told the team, is that although this has been a very quick turnaround of events, in terms of having to pick a new squad, no matter what name is on the back of the England shirt we are walking out there as the No 1 team," Stokes said in a virtual press conference on the eve of the first ODI scheduled to be played in Cardiff on July 8. The 31-year-old New Zealand born said that it is a great opportunity for the young cricketers to showcase that they deserve the call that they have got. "That's an exciting thing to say you are a part of, whether you are an experienced player, a young player or someone who has come into the group for the first time. Situations like these are so rare. You've got an opportunity here to represent your country and let's all just do it with a big smile on our face and just enjoy it as much as we can as a group." Stokes, who has so far played 71 Tests, 98 ODIs and 34 T20Is believe that the experience of County cricket would help the nine uncapped English players in the squad. "One of the reasons for County Cricket is to put your name in the hat for an England call up - although you don't normally go picking 16 new players in a space of a couple of days!," Chuckled the Durham player. "The guys who have been picked have put their hand up in county cricket and deserve to be in this situation, albeit through extreme circumstances. But everyone warrants their place in the squad," added Stokes. The all-rounder, hero of the 2019 World Cup shares a funny incident as to how his wife reacted to the call-up. "After the call happened my wife sent me a screenshot of an article saying 'England aren't going to rush Ben Stokes back'. It's one of these situations that's an example of 'if you don't laugh you'll cry'," said Stokes, who has 7890 international runs and 254 wickets. Earlier, ECB confirmed that the whole new squad and staff have tested negative ahead of Thursday's first ODI against Pakistan.

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Thought of quitting the England tour midway never crossed our minds says Babar Azam

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam stated that they never felt the need to cancel the tour of England midway after three of the English players and four support staff tested positive for COVID-19. England had to name an entirely different 18 members squad with Ben Stokes taking the charge. The first team squad was forced to go into 10-day isolation but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was satisfied with the arrangements made by the England Cricket Board (ECB) and will continue with their white-ball series which begins on Thursday (8th July). Pakistan has been the most frequent travelling since the pandemic. This is their second tour of England in a year’s time and most of the players have been in the bi0-secure bubble since May. However, Babar Zam said that they never contemplated calling the tour off as England did on their tour to South Africa last year. "No, we didn't think about it, it didn't come into our minds at any time," Azam was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo. "The PCB and ECB have assured us that they will take care of the safety and health of all the squad members. We must understand that these are unprecedented times of Covid-19. I want to acknowledge my players who have spent the last 18 months in and out of bio-secure bubbles and we have prepared in that. For now we are focusing on cricket and tomorrow's game,” he added. The skipper said that they are well aware of most of the England players but the wholesale changes has resulted in a few homework still to be done on the uncapped and untested players. "We know most of them but there were a couple of new faces in the squad and we sat together with the analyst, we worked on them, we have seen footage of their county matches," Azam said. "They may be new players but they are playing for England so we won't take them lightly. I know a few of them, having played in T20 Blast, and those we don't know we have researched their performances,” he added.

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Ramiz Raja urges western countries to laud subcontinent teams for their commitment to the game

Former Pakistan batsman turned commentator Ramiz Raza has taken an indirect dig at the England Cricket Board (ECB) for maintaining double standards in tacking the COVID situation. Raja said that the western countries need to start acknowledging the subcontinent and their commitment to the game. He pointed out that despite seven personnel from the England team testing positive for the novel coronavirus, the Pakistan team has decided to stay back and continue with their white-ball tour. England was forced to name a completely new squad for the ODI series against Pakistan as all the members from the squad which played against Sri Lanka had to go undergo mandatory 10-day isolation. The English team had left a tour of South Africa midway last year when COVID-19 had breached through the South African team bubble. However, in a similar circumstance this time around, Pakistan decided to stay back and continued with the England tour. “England team suffer at the hands of COVID yet Pakistan team stays. South Africa had one player with symptoms of covid in Dec and England chose to leave quoting mental challenges. West needs to acknowledge the spirit of the subcontinent and commitment to the game… nahin?? (isn’t it?)," he asked on Twitter. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is satisfied with ECB’s arrangements after the COVID scare. “The PCB is satisfied by the assurances and guarantees provided by the ECB on behalf of its medical panel, and feels comfortable with the existing protocols that have been put in place to ensure all the Pakistan players and player support staff remain safe and secure throughout the duration of the series, which commences on Thursday, July 8, in Cardiff," the PCB said in its official statement. “The PCB has also been in touch with its team management and has advised them to exercise extra caution while in the hotel or at the match venue," it added. Meanwhile, the new-look England team will be led by Ben Stokes with as many as 9 uncapped players in the 18 member squad. Three of the English cricketers and four support staff tested positive for COVID-19 just 48 hours before the commencement of the first game and the whole squad which were supposed to take on Pakistan has gone into isolation.