After a six year wait the Pakistan cricket team are back in England taking part in what is turning out to be the most exciting Test series of the year.
If the ICC player rankings are a barometer for the two teams quality, then this could be an incredibly close fought Test Series as both teams have 5 bowlers in the top 50 player rankings. Additionally Pakistan made the shrewd move of arriving in England ahead of schedule to adapt to the English conditions as quickly as they possibly could.
Wahab Riaz will have more experience of English conditions than most in the Pakistan squad, having played for NatWest T20 Blast team Essex Eagles earlier this season. While his spell wasn’t the most destructive, he has certainly gained some invaluable experience of playing in English conditions and he will be looking to use his inside knowledge to get stuck into the English top order.
Wahab made his debut in 2010, but he has played only 15 Tests, a large chunk of them coming post August 2014. Wahab has primarily played on flat decks around the subcontinent, but the conditions of the England tour and should present him the platform to showcase the kind of magic he displayed in Adelaide against Australia in 2015 ICC World Cup quarter-final.
Wahab Riaz further said he hopes Pakistan will benefit from his experience at Essex, he said, “I have learned a lot here, bowling in these conditions, so hopefully the experience I am taking from Essex will benefit my bowling in the upcoming Tests”.
SEE PAKISTAN AT EDGBASTON
England will take on Pakistan on Wednesday 3 – Sunday 7 August at Edgbaston and tickets are available for just £6 for Under 16s and from £31 for Adults.
