Pakistan vs. England, 2nd Test: Odds, Betting Tips, Key Players and Prediction
It was more a case of fading light than waning powers that caused England to draw the first Test against Pakistan. Needing only 25 runs to claim the victory, the umpires called a halt to proceedings as the darkness crept in around them.
Clearly, then, Pakistan should be expected to launch a feisty fightback for the second Test as England now have the momentum—whether or not they can do it will depend on a few key men.
First, though, let's cast our eyes over the latest betting odds before discussing tips and, finally, a match prediction.
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| Winner | Pakistan (11/8) | England (15/8) | Draw (5/2) | |
| Top Batsman | Younis Khan (13/2) | Joe Root (11/4) | ||
| Top Bowler | Yasir Shah (11/4) | Adil Rashid (7/1) | ||
Adil Rashid Will Offer Another Late Flourish
Adil Rashid has already showed he has what it takes to upset Pakistan following his excellent finish to the opening test.
Against the setting sun, the 27-year-old gave his opponents plenty to fear as he made history to become "the first England leg-spinner to take five wickets in an innings since 1949, banishing the memory of his first-innings figures of nought from 164," per the Telegraph's Sclyd Berry.
At odds of 7-1, Rashid deserves to be backed as the series' best bowler. That's especially true when considering how he is viewed by retired cricketer and Telegraph writer Michael Vaughan, who believes he comes into his own at a specific time and place in a match: "Many will say that Adil bowls it too slowly, but that is why he is more effective in the second innings when the ball is gripping and turning off a worn pitch."
All this seems even more likely to happen again considering it was from Pakistan's second-innings collapse that Rashid ultimately got his chance to shine.
What's more, he took his opportunity incredibly well, and if he can hold his nerve to have confidence in his ability again, it could be yet another Test to remember for him.
Yasir Shah and Joe Root Duel Expected
Pakistan will be boosted by the return of Yasir Shah, who looks set to play following a back spasm, per Sky Sports.
Looked to as a source of inspiration to go 1-0 up in the series, much is resting on the form of Shah.
The player himself has hinted that he could target the weakness of England's batsmen against severe spin, per Sky Sports, so he might just employ that tactic on the day.
However, Joe Root is one of the best English batsmen at combatting spin, so this series could well come down to a duel between them.
It will take a fierce effort from the right-hander to deal Pakistan their first-ever loss on United Arab Emirates soil, as they "have not lost any of the previous seven series in the UAE" per Supersport.com.
Shah has odds of 11-4 to be the best bowler of the series, and Root is 11-4 to be the best English batsman. One need look no further than either of those odds for something to throw money on.
Prediction
Pakistan do have the advantage at their adopted home, but their mood could well be determined by the ability of a certain Mr. Shah to put England away.
As for England, momentum is not an exact science but it could prove crucial for them in toppling Pakistan if they harness it correctly.
Much of that will come down to how Alastair Cook sets his men up for the second test, of course, and a big decision will be deciding to roll out Rashid later in the match to take full advantage of the worn surface.
The temptation would be to wrong-foot Pakistan by sending him out earlier than anticipated, but England will need to stick to their guns to get a result, as Vic Marks put it in his Guardian piece: "Rashid rarely operates as a stock bowler in the first innings of the match when playing for Yorkshire so he’s unlikely to be good at that for England against better players."
Go with their gut and the visitors will take a huge step towards winning the series.
Odds via Oddschecker
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