ENG vs PAK Test Day match prediction 21 Aug 2020

England and Pakistan will collide in the third and final Test of the three-match series at The Rose Bowl in Southampton, which will kickstart on Friday.

England will be looking to win this final match against Pakistan and register their third consecutive Test series victory of the calendar year. Once again, England will be without the ever-brilliant Ben Stokes as he has flown to New Zealand for personal reasons. That would mean Zak Crawley gets to keep his place in the squad and probably in the playing XI as well after a well crafted fifty in the previous match at the same venue. Pakistan, on the other hand, will be looking to stage a strong comeback having lost the first game of the three-match series and rain spoiling the second one. We all will be hoping that rain Gods keeps away from The Rose Bowl in Southampton and let this match happen. In the meantime, I have assorted three of the best team markets for you to bet on; why don’t you take a closer look at them?

Betting Tips

I know it sounds strange that a visiting team will be taking the lead after the first innings on the English soil but it is what it is. The numbers and the statistics are suggestive of that fact and I could not help but agree on the same. Without any further delay, let’s get straight to business and let me tell you that in the last five head-to-head encounters, Pakistan have had a first innings lead on four occasions. The Three Lions in their last five Test matches have taken a lead after the first innings in only two occasions. On the other hand, the visitors in their last five Test matches have taken a first innings lead on three occasions. In the last five Test matches against the hosts, prior to the second Test of this series, Pakistan have taken the lead after the first innings on the English soil on four occasions. So these numbers are clearly showing the kind of dominance Pakistan have had in this particular scenario in the recent past over England and other teams as well. William Hill are offering odds of 2.20 for Pakistan to take the first innings lead in this Test match and you might as well place your bet.

Before I get started in this section, let me tell you clearly that it is an extremely tricky market and though the odds are relatively low than the others, but, you actually have a good chance of making it a sure win in your favour. I have every reason to believe that England are going to make a better start with the bat than Pakistan in the first innings and now let me back my claims with these numbers and statistics. In the last six head-to-head clashes against Pakistan, the Three Lions have had a better first innings partnership on three occasions and all of these matches have been played on the English soil. England, in their last six Test matches, have had a better first-wicket partnership than their opponents on two occasions. Believe it or not, Pakistan too, have had a better first-wicket partnership in the first innings than their opponents on two occasions in as many matches. So, you see there’s nothing that can separate these two sides at the moment but the way England bowlers have been coming hard at the visitors in the last couple of matches, I am counting on the England pace quartet to strike a blow earlier than the Pakistan bowling unit will on the English batsmen. Bet 365 has offered odds of 1.66 for this market and I think you should accept this opportunity with open arms.

This is the last Test match of this three-match series and the hosts will be looking to make it count in every possible way. Joe Root and co. does not hold a great record against Pakistan in recent times in this particular format of the game but they surely have done well when it comes to hitting fours. In the last six head-to-head Test matches, England have managed to clobber 329 fours and, on the other hand, Pakistan have managed to hit 312 of them. England in their last six Test matches have managed to clatter 314 fours and Pakistan have scored 287 boundaries in as many matches. England and Pakistan have played only one Test match here so far and that was drawn because the weather did not allow the game to get completed. However, in that match, Pakistan got to play one full innings and they clobbered 20 fours and England having lost just four wickets had already hit 11 fours. Had they played the full innings, they would have surely crossed the number of boundaries Pakistan registered in that first innings of the previous Test match. Bet 365 is offering odds of 1.61 for this market as it is a pretty straightforward one!