England v Pakistan T20Is: All you need to know

The Cricketer provides all the information you need ahead of the three-match T20 international series between England and Pakistan

What is it?

The three-match T20 international series between England and Pakistan.

When is it?

First T20I: Friday, July 16 - Trent Bridge, Nottingham (6.30pm BST)

Second T20I: Sunday, July 18 - Headingley, Leeds (2.30pm BST)

Third T20I: Tuesday, July 20 – Old Trafford, Manchester (6.30pm BST)

Where is it?

The three-match series gets underway in Nottingham where the teams will do battle as the sun sets, before heading up north to Leeds to meet at Headingley in the only daytime game. The sides won't have far to travel to Manchester in the final evening fixture at Old Trafford.

Who's involved?

After a COVID-19 outbreak in the England team meant an entire new team was selected, nine members of the original bubble have been recalled for the series, including English skipper Eoin Morgan. 

Morgan is joined by white-ball regulars Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler and Jason Roy among others, meaning there is plenty of scope for rotation and experimentation throughout the series.

Saqib Mahmood, the standout paceman for English during the ODI series, is rewarded with a call-up to the T20 side. Ben Stokes, who captained the makeshift side, is rested, while Sam Curran and Chris Woakes have not been selected following their self-isolation. 

Pakistan's side will take on a more youthful tone as they announced a separate squad to face England in the T20Is, before heading over to the Caribbean to play five games against the West Indies. Youngsters Azam Khan and Arshad Iqbal are included in the squad, while stalwarts Babar Azam, Shadab Khan and Mohammad Rizwan keep their place. 

Sharjeel Khan is named in the T20I squad, while middle order batsman Faheem Ashraf could also play. Opener Imam-ul-Haq is not named in the team.

^{Matt Parkinson is among the players who keep their place from the ODI series}

After a disappointing series for the guests, including a three wicket loss in the final game in which Babar Azam scored 158, Pakistan will be looking to end their visit to England on a high.

It's an opportunity for Azam to test out the potential of his youngsters against a strong home side, including the 19-year-old all-rounder Mohammad Wasim Jr who could feature in one of the games.

VISIT THE INTERNATIONAL HUB

England: Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Tom Banton, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Saqid Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, David Willey

Pakistan: Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Arshad Iqbal, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Sharjeel Khan, Usman Qadir

What are the odds?

England are heavy favourites with SkyBet to take the series at 2/7, with the visitors priced up at 5/2 to win the trophy. You can back the hosts to take the series without loss at 2/1, while the 3-0 to the visitors is set at 14/1. 

^{Babar Azam will look to build on his successful ODI outing}

Will fans be permitted?

Although the first two matches fall before the so-called "Freedom Day" in England on July 19, we can expect a full house at Nottingham and Headingley after Secretary of State for Culture Oliver Dowden had announced that the two games were to be included in the government's Event Research Programme. Following on from the successful 100% attended game at Lord's last week, fans will still have to present proof of a negative test or full vaccination to enter.

With the final game after July 19, we can also expect a full crowd at Old Trafford on Tuesday, as the stage is set for the first fully attended cricket series in England since the pandemic began.

Where can I follow it?

Sky Sports Cricket (Sky 404, Talk Talk 404, BT TV 423, Virgin 504) will broadcast the series in the United Kingdom, with the content available online via its streaming platform Sky Go.

Test Match Special will provide live ball-by-ball commentary via BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and the BBC Sport website, while BBC Two will broadcast hour-long TV highlights a few hours after each match’s conclusion.

Pakistan fans can tune in via Ten Sports and PTV Sports.

Sony Six and Sony LIV is the place to watch the series for viewers in India.

Fox Sports and Channel 7 have the rights in Australia, while it is SKY Sport NZ who are carrying the games in New Zealand.

SuperSport will broadcast the matches in South Africa, Flow Sports in the Caribbean, and Willow TV in the United States.

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