England XI: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wkt), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (capt), Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.
The surfaces in Pakistan are not expected to produce the same amount of turn as that which derailed England during in India and, accordingly, this batter-heavy XI selected by the head coach and Buttler leaves the bowling attack looking potentially light.
Three are outright quicks – Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Brydon Carse – with Adil Rashid’s safe-cracking reliability Buttler’s only frontline spin option.
Talented but inexperienced, Smith has batted first-drop just once in his List A career at Surrey, while Joe Root, England’s record centurion in ODI cricket, has moved down a spot.
At a ground where 291 is the average first innings ODI score these past three years – and where Australia failed to defend a target of 349 against Pakistan back in 2022 – they have just four frontline bowlers.
