(PCB Photo)
England and Pakistan had scheduled a four-match T20I series as part of their preparation for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and Caribbean, commencing on June 1. The decision by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to recall their players from the recent IPL 2024 had disappointed the BCCI.
However, Mother Nature intervened, causing the cancellation of two matches in the four-match T20I series due to heavy rain in Headingly and Cardiff. Despite this setback, the England cricket team displayed dominance in the remaining two T20Is, securing a 23-run victory in the second match and a seven-wicket win in the fourth match. This resulted in England claiming the home series with a 2-0 margin against the Pakistan cricket team.
Michael Vaughan suggests that participating in the IPL 2024 playoffs would have been more beneficial for England’s T20 World Cup 2024 preparation than playing T20Is against Pakistan.
The T20I series between England and Pakistan appeared heavily one-sided, with Pakistan struggling to find their rhythm, prompting doubts about its effectiveness as preparation for the defending champions ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024. Poor weather conditions further limited the series to just two games.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan echoed sentiments that participating in the intense atmosphere of the IPL 2024 playoffs would have better served England’s T20 World Cup 2024 preparation compared to the home T20I series against Pakistan, given the lack of competitive edge in the latter.
It’s worth noting that the ECB withdrew their players from the IPL 2024 to participate in the T20I series. Despite the completion of the majority of the league stage, key players like captain Jos Buttler, Will Jacks, Phil Salt, and Reece Topley missed out on the playoffs.
Even Salt had the potential to feature in the IPL 2024 final, where his team, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), triumphed over the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to secure their third IPL title at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 26.
Kamran Akmal says Everybody knows the level of Pakistan cricket.
Now, former wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has also agreed with Vaughan. However, Akmal said that it was a painful assessment, but correct. He said on his YouTube channel: “Over the past few days, I have wondered why a former England captain is commenting and taking Pakistan cricket non-seriously. It has been a painful thought, but I think he was correct in his assessment. Everybody knows the level of Pakistan cricket.”
He further explained, “We are losing against smaller teams like Ireland, and in that sense, Vaughan said that it is not a tough series. So, the fault is ours. Had it been any other team like New Zealand, South Africa, and India then Vaughan would not have said it. We need to understand that in IPL, the best bowlers and batters are participating with crowds of 40 to 50,000. So, it is tough cricket and quality cricket.”
Interestingly, both England and Pakistan have opted out of playing any warm-up matches before the 2024 T20 World Cup. Instead, they will directly proceed to the Caribbean and the USA for the main event. England is scheduled to commence their campaign against Scotland on June 4 in Barbados, while Pakistan will take on the USA in their opening match on June 6 in Texas.
