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Pakistan batter Saud Shakeel feels that the English conditions could suit his team, opining that hot weather in England could aid Pakistani spinners, noting that during the last Test series against New Zealand, the ball was "spinning plenty".
Pakistan will start their three-match ICC World Test Championship (WTC) series against England from August 19 onwards at Headingley. Babar Azam-led Pakistan will be taking to the UK some useful spin options in Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and the left-arm spinner Ali Usman. With an eight-wicket win over West Indies at Port of Spain during the month's start and then a seven-wicket win against Professional County Club Select XI at Beckenham, Pakistan is riding high on confidence. Shakeel was the star of the show during that win over that Professional County Club Select XI as he contributed a superb unbeaten century, while left-arm spinner Ali Usman collected a five-wicket haul to continue the good form he displayed against the West Indies. While Shakeel is unsure exactly what the conditions will look like when the first Test gets underway at Headingley, the left-hander thinks the recent hot summer in England may suit Pakistan's spinners as the match progresses. "I think the way the summer is here in England, the pitches might become quite dry and bring spin into it," Shakeel said, as quoted by the ICC. "In the (recent) New Zealand series here, in the last Test the ball was spinning plenty," he added. While the Test at Headingley will mark Shakeel's first in England, he does have some useful county experience in England, dating back to the 2023 County Championship with Yorkshire, where he could score just 71 runs in five innings. On the other hand, England, under the fresh leadership of captain Joe Root and coach Stephen Fleming, will be entering with their transition mode turned on after the retirement of long-time skipper Ben Stokes and the departure of head coach Brendon McCullum post the NZ series loss. While it remains interesting to see if England will carry on with the Stokes-McCullum championed 'Bazball' brand of cricket or tone it down to a more conditions-based game, Shakeel suggests that Pakistan must be ready to adapt whatever the opposition throws at them. "Every Test is challenging. Test cricket brings a new challenge every day. This is no different, and we are trying to make sure we give the best account of ourselves here," Shakeel added. "We are not thinking of the series in terms of Bazball. You should play according to the conditions and requirements. On this ground, the outfield is very fast, and that might suit attacking shot play. But we are not going to change our playing style just because of how the opposition are playing. We aim to play the way we think is the best way to play," he signed off. Series schedule: First Test: August 19-23, HeadingleySecond Test: August 27-31, Lord'sThird Test: September 9-13, Edgbaston. (ANI)
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