When asked if the manner in which England played and won during their last visit to Pakistan in 2022 had a lasting impact, Shan Masood was unequivocal: “It had an effect on the world.” That series stands as the pinnacle of this England team’s achievements so far, securing a 3-0 victory on flat pitches and in unfamiliar conditions, becoming the first, second, and third team ever to score 250 or more runs at over 5.30 an over against Pakistan. Their peak was 7.36 in the second innings of the first Test, a record until India surpassed it with 285 at 8.22 against Bangladesh last month.
“The way Ben [Stokes] led in that series was phenomenal,” remarked Ollie Pope, who steps in as captain for the opening game, which commences in the early hours of Monday morning. “He took a significant risk in that first Test, which paid off, and the nature of the pitch meant that if there was going to be a result, a bold play like that was necessary.” Pakistan is now attempting to incorporate key aspects of England’s approach. “We play our best cricket when we’re not overly focused on the result and play an exciting, fearless brand of cricket, taking the game to the opposition,” said Masood, their captain. “The best thing England did was recognize other perspectives and strategies that might suit them. The key is to find new ways of doing things. That’s how the world progresses, and cricket is no different. England has been a pioneer in this evolution.”
This year, England has talked about a “refinement” of their style, but Brendon McCullum clarified that this was a misunderstanding. “When I spoke of refinement, I was referring to some of the personnel in our group,” the England red-ball coach explained. “It wasn’t about changing our approach. The approach has never changed.” England is aware that the path to success in this series might differ significantly from the one they followed in 2022. “The key to our tactics a couple of years ago was recognizing the need for ample time to take 20 wickets in each Test, so we had to push the run rate,” McCullum noted. “We’ll see what unfolds over the next few weeks. If that’s the tactic we need, we’ll fully commit to it. If not, we’ll hopefully be smart enough to adjust and fully commit to those tactics.”
One notable difference between England’s last visit and this one is the timing—this visit occurs in December. Two months earlier, according to McCullum, “conditions are a bit more extreme… It’s scorching hot, to start with. We’ll need to be flexible with our plans and adapt quickly. That’s just how the game goes, right?” McCullum praised Stokes’s efforts to get fit for the start of the series—“I’ve never seen a professional athlete train so hard. I think most people wouldn’t have come close”—and defended the decision of his fast bowling coach, Jimmy Anderson, to miss the first six days of the tour to play in a pro-am golf tournament. “He’s been in regular contact with the team, and it’s remarkable that two months after taking up the role, everyone is missing him,” he said of Anderson, who is due to arrive on Tuesday. “Jimmy is allowed to live his life, just like everyone else. We always aim to ensure people can enjoy themselves, balancing their family life, hobbies, and fun. I don’t think it’s a big issue.”
Pakistan is also grappling with some serious issues, having lost all five of the Tests they’ve played over the last year, their first under Masood’s captaincy, including a 3-0 defeat in Australia and a more painful 2-0 loss at home to Bangladesh. “We kept getting into winning positions but let the game slip from our grasp,” Masood reflected. “These are lessons we need to learn. A 5-0 scoreline doesn’t look good, but we’ve been in winning positions, and the challenge is to ensure we finish games off once we get there.”
“There’s a lot of hurt among the players. 2024 hasn’t been a good year for Pakistan cricket, and we want to see our fans happy. We’re hurt. The answer is to stay positive. We let the past go.”
