Pakistan Faces a Determined USA Without Injured Imad Wasim

 

Match Details
Teams: USA vs Pakistan  
Location: Dallas  
Time: 10:30 AM local time
 

Overview

In an intriguing match-up in Dallas, Pakistan, the heavyweight, takes on the USA, the determined underdog, in a clash that promises off-field and on-field excitement. The USA, buoyed by recent successes, contrasts sharply with a vulnerable Pakistani team struggling to find form and rhythm.

The USA's recent victory over Canada showcases their threat. The hosts turned a likely loss into a comfortable win, reflecting their confidence, further boosted by their surprising 2-1 series win over Bangladesh. Familiarity with the Dallas venue adds to the USA's advantage, having played their opening match against Canada at the same ground.

Pakistan, on the other hand, has faced challenges. Rain in Dallas disrupted their practice sessions, pushing them indoors. Their recent matches in Ireland and the UK did not inspire confidence, with inconsistent performances, including a loss to Ireland and two defeats against England.

Adding to Pakistan's woes is the injury to Imad Wasim, who was specifically brought in for his experience in the US and Caribbean. The final T20I against England highlighted their dependence on the opening duo of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, with other players like Saim Ayub, Azam Khan, and Shadab Khan struggling for form.

 Form Guide

USA: WLWWW (most recent first)  

Pakistan: LLWWL

 Key Players

Aaron Jones; poses a significant threat to Pakistan, especially in the middle overs where Pakistan's bowling, without Imad Wasim, seems vulnerable. Jones’ aggressive batting was crucial in the USA's win over Canada.

Azam Khan; is under pressure after a poor performance against England. His place in the team is contentious, but Pakistan might rely on his CPL experience for lower-order hitting.

 Team News

USA: No injury concerns and likely to retain the winning combination.  

Predicted XI: Steven Taylor, Monank Patel (capt), Andries Gous (wk), Aaron Jones, Nitish Kumar, Corey Anderson, Harmeet Singh, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Jasdeep Singh, Ali Khan, Saurabh Netravalkar.

Pakistan: Imad Wasim is out due to a side strain. Pakistan is expected to retain Shadab Khan for his all-round capabilities.  

**Predicted XI**: Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed.

 Pitch and Conditions

The weather has cleared up, and a full game is expected on Thursday. The pitch has offered early seam movement with good bounce and carry, as seen in the previous matches at this venue.

 Stats and Trivia

- **Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan's opening partnership experiment**: Saim Ayub's performance as an opener has not been as effective, with an average of 15.26 and a strike rate of 126.51, both lower than Babar and Rizwan's since January 2022.

-Haris Rauf is close to a milestone, needing five wickets to become the second Pakistani bowler, after Shadab Khan, to reach 100 T20I wickets.

- **Aaron Jones** hit 10 of his 23 career sixes in the recent match against Canada.

 Quotes

Babar Azam; Pakistan Captain:  

"Certain things are outside your control. We can't control the weather. In the circumstances, we used the facilities available to us, with the batters and bowlers training indoors. Our team drills also took place indoors, so we're just trying to utilize the best possible options we have."

Monank Patel, USA Captain:  

"You know, it's T20. Once we have a good 30-40 minutes on the field, you never know. We can take the game away."

 Conclusion

As Pakistan faces off against a confident USA, the match promises high drama and excitement, reflecting the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket.