ENG vs PAK, 2nd Test: 5 players to watch out for
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After losing back-to-back series to Australia and New Zealand away from home, the England cricket team were back to home conditions and were favourites against Pakistan.
Cricketing experts, too, had written the visiting team off before the match as inexperienced. But Pakistan had some other plans as they hammered the English side by nine wickets in the opening match of the series.
It was the first time in the last 23 years when England started their home Test summer in defeat.
Both teams will be meeting again for the series decider starting from this Friday at Headingley, Leeds.
England will be desperate to register a win this time to avoid a third consecutive series defeat. On the other hand, Pakistan will be eying on a historic series win. They have won only three-test series in England - the last one being in 1996.
And with England looking nowhere near to their best, this could be the perfect opportunity to win their fourth one.
This doesn't mean Pakistan should take anything for granted. This English team is known for bouncing back after a home defeat.
They were in a similar situation against West Indies last summer after losing at Headingley but then decimated the same opposition at Lord's.
Whatever may be the result of this match, it is surely going to be a hell of a contest. Here, we will take a look at those five players who are likely to affect the outcome of the match
#1 Alastair Cook
Alastair Cook is the most experienced player in the England cricket Team having appeared in 155 tests.
Regarded as one of the best test openers ever played in world cricket, Cook has scored 12099 runs including 32 centuries.
He is at no. 6 in the list of highest run-getters in test cricket. There is a huge expectation from him at the top order.
Cook has the job of providing his team a solid start. In the last test match, he contributed a valuable 70 in the first inning but failed to score in the second inning.
In this crucial match, Cook needs to be at his best if England want to level the series.