This article will talk about the probable XIs for both teams and continue with the Dream11 predictions & the winning fantasy team for the Third ODI between England and Pakistan that is scheduled to take place on the 13th July 2021.
With the series already done and dusted with England winning both the games, the 2 teams will for the crucial ICC ODI Super League points in stake. The 2nd string England team has dominated a listless Pakistan who is almost with their full-strength team. After beating Pakistan by 9 wickets in the 1st ODI, England’s depth in white-ball was seen by the world through their dominating performance in the 2nd ODI at Lord’s. They won the game by 52 runs and sealed the series 2-0 with a game to be played at Edgbaston on the 13th.
The young England players stood up under the leadership of Ben Stokes. Pakistan, despite losing the series will have everything to play for the final ODI as 10 Super League points are at stake. They will want their batsman to fire, especially the top-order which has let down in both the games. However, bowlers led by Hasan Ali bowled well in helpful conditions to restrict England to 247 in the 2nd ODI.
Match Details
Venue: Edgbaston, Birmingham
Pitch: The pitch of Edgbaston does favor batsmen and it should be a high-scoring game. However, pacers will get early assistance from the surface during the powerplay overs as is the case generally in England. Batsmen will dominate the game as the average score at this venue is 235. The temperature of Cardiff will be around 20-22°C with showers predicted throughout the day.
Date and Time: July 13, 2021, 5.30 PM IST, 1.00 PM Local
Probable Playing XIs
England doesn’t have much to tinker with their squad after having won 2 games. They might look to give players like Ben Duckett, Danny Briggs, Dan Lawrence, and others on the bench a go. But with ICC ODI league points at stake, they may also go with an unchanged team in the final ODI to go for a series sweep.
Pakistan will have plenty to think about on they are going to register their first win on England soil. Hasan Ali took a five-wicket haul, while young batsman Saud Shakeel scored a half-century, these are the only positives they can take from this series so far. The likes of Babar Azam, Rizwan, Imam-Ul-Haq have failed in this series and they will want them to come good. They could make a few changes by bringing in Sarfaraz Ahmed in place of Rizwan, while Faheem Ashraf could make way for Mohammad Nawaz.
England: Phil Salt, Zak Crawley/Dan Lawrence, Dawid Malan, James Vince, Ben Stokes(c), John Simpson/Ben Duckett(wk), Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson/Danny Briggs, Brydon Carse.
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Rizwan/Sarfaraz Ahmed(wk), Sohaib Maqsood, Saud Shakeel, Faheem Ashraf/Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf.
Match Prediction
England’s inexperienced team has punched above their weights in overpowering a much stronger Pakistan team in the first 2 ODIs. They will go into the final game as the favorites to make it 3-0 but can’t the Babar Azam-led team out as they are an unpredictable team. So it can go either way.
Fantasy Tips
Batsman: Openers from either side Fakhar Azam and Dawid Malan have made significant contributions to their team at the top-order in this series thus far. So they should be a pick in the fantasy XI. Babar Azam, despite not being amongst runs in the 2 ODIs, is a world-class player, and a top ODI batsman. James Vince looked confident in the 2nd game and can be picked as the 4th batman in your fantasy team.
Wicket-Keeper: Phil Salt looks like a dangerous top-order batsman and has all credentials to excel at this level. He showed a glimpse of it in the 2nd ODI. He can be a part of the dream 11 team.
All-rounders: England’s skipper Ben Stokes had a minimal role in the 1st two ODIs but an all-rounder of his stature is a must in the fantasy team. Lewis Gregory had a man-of-the-match-worthy performance in the last game and is an ideal option. Along with them, Saud Shakeel who impressed with the bat and took a wicket with the ball can also be selected.
Bowlers: Saqib Mahmood, the leading wicket-taker in this series so far can be selected as the bowler of your fantasy eleven. Hasan Ali is in great bowling in recent times and took a 5fer at Lords. Craig Overton, the other England quick can make up your fantasy XI.
Captaincy Choices
Fantasy Team: Phil Salt(WK), Dawid Malan, Babar Azam(VC), Fakhar Zaman, James Vince, Ben Stokes(c), Lewis Gregory, Saud Shakeel, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Hasan Ali
Captain– Ben Stokes
Stokes, though having a minimal role in this series, has been a great leader and has led inspiringly with this young squad. This game could be his.
Vice Captain – Babar Azam
Babar Azam is a quality player but is going through a rough patch as of late. But he can come good in the last game of the series and can be the captain of the side.
Dream11 Team
