England vs Pakistan Prediction: Pakistan's path to semis is tough

England and Pakistan are going head to head in the 44th Match of the Cricket World Cup at Eden Garden stadium, Kolkata, India on 11 Nov 2023. Pakistan has an uphill task ahead if they want to make it in the semis. They will have to win and win big to leapfrog New Zealand's net run rate.

Who will win this game of cricket?

In this edition, England's World Cup campaign has been one of the worst. Despite being the defending champions, they have only managed to win 2 out of the 8 matches played so far. Consequently, they have already been knocked out of the race to the semifinals. Currently holding the 7th position, England will aim to win this match in order to secure a spot in the 2025 Champions Trophy.

One standout performer amidst the mediocre batting displays is Dawid Malan, who has scored 373 runs at an impressive average of 46.62. In the last match, he achieved a half-century, marking his third score of 50 or more in the tournament. During the Powerplay, Malan will once again play a crucial role for England.

On the other hand, Johnny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, and Joe Root have struggled even against average bowling attacks, and they will face a tough challenge against Pakistan's pace battery. However, in the last match, Ben Stokes managed to break free and score a fast-paced century. He will be the key player for England during the middle overs.

The performances of England's bowlers have been inconsistent. The new ball attack will be led by David Willey and Chris Woakes, who have collectively taken 17 wickets. Adil Rashid is the team's leading wicket-taker with 13 dismissals, while Moeen Ali has contributed with 3 wickets.

Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c & wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, David Willey, Gus Atkinson, Adil Rashid

Pakistan finds itself in a critical situation as it competes with two other teams for a fourth-place finish. Currently placed fifth on the points table, they must secure a substantial victory in this match to improve their chances of reaching the semifinals. Pakistan recently defeated New Zealand, thanks to an outstanding century by Fakhar Zaman, in a match affected by rain. With Zaman back in form, he and Abdullah Shafique will aim to provide a strong start for the team. Babar Azam, who has scored four half-centuries in the tournament, will play a crucial role in the middle order. Mohammad Rizwan leads the team in runs, with 359, whereas Iftikhar Ahmed and Saud Shakeel have struggled to maintain consistency. Despite a disappointing performance against New Zealand, Shaheen Shah Afridi remains Pakistan's top wicket-taker with 16 dismissals. He will lead the bowling attack alongside Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali. The team's weakness lies in the spin department, which must improve its performance during the middle overs to restrict the opponent's scoring.

Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Agha Salman, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Haris Rauf

The Eden Gardens has seen the team batting first emerge victorious in 20 out of 33 completed matches, indicating an advantage for that team. Therefore, it is likely that the winner of the toss will choose to bat first.

Early on at the Eden Gardens, the pitch favours the batsmen as there is a good amount of bounce and pace, allowing the ball to come nicely onto the bat. However, as the match progresses, the surface slows down and spinners will be able to generate some turn. It will be challenging for any team to chase a total of over 260.

The weather for the match will be clear with plenty of sunshine and temperatures ranging from 25 to 30 degrees Celsius.

In terms of consistency, both teams have displayed a lack thereof in this tournament. Furthermore, they have similar strengths and weaknesses, making it difficult to predict the outcome of this match. However, we are supporting Pakistan to win. Their opening pair is in good form and they possess quality batsmen in the middle order. The prospect of securing a semifinal spot is likely to bring out the best in them. Therefore, our bet is on Pakistan to win.