England vs Pakistan prediction and cricket betting tips

Where to watch England vs Pakistan

Sky Sports Cricket & Main Event, 2.30pm Saturday

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Phil Salt top England runscorer
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England vs Pakistan prediction

England's build-up to the defence of their T20 World Cup crown was hampered by a washout at Headingley on Wednesday but the forecast is better for Saturday's second T20 international against Pakistan at Edgbaston.

Since beating Pakistan by five wickets at the MCG to lift the World Cup in November 2022, England have lost eight of their 12 T20 internationals.

They suffered comprehensive defeats to India and New Zealand in their last two Twenty20 matches at Edgbaston, where they were bowled out for 121 and 128.

A top order featuring captain Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow and Harry Brook should be confident of posting a matchwinning total against underdogs Pakistan, who had to come from 1-0 down to win this month's three-match series in Ireland.

Buttler, Jacks and Bairstow all scored centuries in this season's IPL while Brook has cracked 388 runs at a strike-rate of 95 per 100 balls in seven County Championship innings for Yorkshire.

However, Salt looks the best bet to top-score for England, having established himself at the top of the order with tallies of 40, 21, 109 not out, 119 and 38 against the West Indies in December.

He is second in the ICC's T20 batting rankings, behind India's Suryakumar Yadav and ahead of Pakistan pair Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, and enhanced his reputation in the IPL.

Salt scored 435 runs from only 239 deliveries for Kolkata Knight Riders, who finished top of the regular-season table, and he hit Pakistan paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi for four boundaries in his first over of an ODI at Edgbaston in July 2021.

Shaheen comes into the series in good form, having picked up 14 wickets in his last six T20 internationals. He should be joined in the Pakistan side by fit-again fast bowler Haris Rauf, while England quick Jofra Archer is set for a comeback after more than a year on the sidelines.

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