After a washout in the first encounter, Pakistan and England are set to lock horns in the second match of the series at the Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester on August 30 (Sunday). A great contest between the bat and the ball was seen in the series opener. However, just like the whole summer, rain played a spoilsport and the game got abandoned. With this, the series virtually becomes a two-match affair, and both the teams will like to take an inevitable lead by clinching the second game of the series. Below, we’ll look at some mini battles which one can witness in the forthcoming encounter. Pakistan vs England Stat Highlights 1st T20I: Tom Banton Scores Maiden Fifty As Rain Washes Out Series Opener.

Only 16.1 were bowled in the series opener in which England scored 131/6. Young opener Tom Banton batted brilliantly in the match and scored 71 runs off 42 deliveries. The right-handed batsman was magnificent against both spin and pace as he smashed sixes with minimal effort. At the same time, left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi bowled brilliantly with the new ball while Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan while among the wickets. Meanwhile, as the exciting encounter takes a countdown, let’s look at some individual battles which can enhance the thrill of the meeting. Mohammad Amir Uses Saliva on the Ball During ENG vs PAK 1st T20I 2020, Video Goes Viral!

Tom Banton vs Shaheen Afridi

After losing veteran opening partner Jonny Bairstow early, Banton brilliantly paced his innings and smashed his maiden T20I fifty. He assessed the conditions well before unleashing mayhem. However, Shaheen Afridi frequently asked questions to him with the new ball. The left-arm speedster wasn’t able to dismiss him but managed to apply brakes on the scoring rate.

Eoin Morgan vs Shadab Khan

The England skipper is a veteran in white-ball cricket and can take the game away single-handedly on his day. The southpaw came to bat, all guns blazing in the first T20I and played some excellent shots. However, he didn’t look entirely comfortable against spin and owing to the fact, leg-spinner Shadab Khan will have the onus to dismiss the southpaw early in the innings.

Babar Azam vs Chris Jordon

The Pakistan skipper didn’t get the opportunity to bat in the first game. However, he’s the top-ranked T20I batsman at the moment and will be determined to make a mark in the second match of the series. The talismanic batsman will be challenged by Chris Jordon, who has all the weapons in his arsenal to thrive in the shortest format of the game. Hence, it’ll be interesting to see how these will fare off.

Fortunately, the weather forecast is quite clear on the match day. Hence, fans must brace themselves to witness a fantastic contest between the bat and the ball. The battle was relatively even in the opening game. Therefore, picking up the favourites of the match will be quite tricky. However, the toss-winning captain will like to bat first.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 29, 2020 09:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).