Champions Trophy 2017: 5 challenges Pakistan need to tackle against England in the semi-final

Can Pakistan do the improbable?

Pakistan’s campaign in ICC tournaments is a roller coaster ride for not only the team’s fans but for the team itself too. Call them unpredictable, volatile or just fickle in their approach to cricket, a tie featuring Pakistan is never too boring and always promises to unfold in drama just when you think nothing can go wrong.

Pakistan, for once, crossed the line – huffing and puffing against Sri Lanka in their last group tie. The win would no doubt give them some confidence going into the semis against one of the best teams in the Champions Trophy so far – England.

For Pakistan to overcome the English challenge, they will first have to put their house in order to have any chance of exploiting the English weakness. As Mohammad Hafeez reiterated before the big game against Sri Lanka, they themselves never know which side will turn up for the game.

In order to make a match of it, Pakistan will need to do several things right and here are some challenges that the team will face in the semifinal face-off with England.

#1 England’s current form

England have been incredibly clinical in the tournament so far. Their squad looks settled and they are the only team in the tournament to have not lost a game till now. Five of their top six batsmen have made half-centuries in the group games with Ben Stokes and Joe Root raking up a century each.

Apart from Jason Roy, the batting order looks settled and up for the Pakistani pace challenge. It will not be easy for Pakistan to rattle the English top order with the kind of form the team is currently enjoying and Buttler along with Ben Stokes at the end could unleash absolute mayhem on the Pakistani bowlers at Cardiff today.