Pakistan's quest for a big win against England to reach the semifinal  

Betting Odds 

Our Predictions 

• Dawid Malan has odds of 4.14 to be the best batsman for England.  
• Babar Azam has odds of 3.36 to be Pakistan's best batsman. 
• Adil Rashid has odds of 4.43 to be England's best bowler.  
• Shaheen Afridi has odds of 3.85 to be the best bowler for Pakistan.  

MATCH PREVIEW     

We are in the last leg of the league games in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Defending champions England will take the field for the last time as they take on Pakistan in the 44th game. The English side performed well against the Netherlands in the previous game. They will look to go out of the tournament on a high and book a berth in the Champions Trophy. Pakistan defeated New Zealand in a run feast to keep hopes alive for a berth in the semifinal. They need a big win and a few other results going their way. The stakes are high for Pakistan in this game, and we expect a good contest.  

England Preview     

Jos Buttler's side has seen the lows from being the champions in 2019 to a complete dud this year. They started as one of the top contenders among cricket betting sites and are now fighting to qualify for the Champions Trophy in 2025. The defending champions put up a good show against the Netherlands in the previous game, winning by 160 runs. As they play their last game in this tournament, Buttler would like his players to display their true potential and finish on a high.  

Dawid Malan has done well, but Jonny Bairstow's failures have disappointed the side. The pair will look to put up a big partnership in this game. Ben Stokes hit a match-winning hundred against the Netherlands, and he must add runs in the middle order with Joe Root and Harry Brook. Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, and Chris Woakes add firepower to this line-up, and they will look to do well.    

They got their bowling right for the first time in the tournament against the Netherlands. David Willey and Chris Woakes must do well with the new ball to put the Pakistanis under pressure. Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali will get a lot of assistance from the surface and must deliver the goods. The side will also expect a good show in the supporting role from Gus Atkinson in this game.  

Expected Starting XI for England     

Jos Buttler (c & wk), Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, David Willey, Gus Atkinson, Adil Rashid 

Pakistan Preview     

Babar Azam's side defeated New Zealand by 21 runs under the DLS method in the previous game. It was a strong fightback from the Pakistani batsmen, scoring 200 runs in 25 overs to be ahead of the Kiwis when rain halted play. The bowling attack had a miserable day as they conceded 401 runs bowling first. They need to win this game by a huge margin, and Azam would like his players to throw all they have.  

Fakhar Zaman played a blinder in the last game, destroying the Kiwi attack. He will look to deliver an electrifying start with Abdullah Shafique. Babar Azam must anchor the innings in the middle order and build partnerships with Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel. Iftikhar Ahmed, Agha Salman, and Shaheen Afridi add strength to this line-up and shall look to do well.   

Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali had a poor outing against New Zealand. Early wickets from them will be vital, as the English top order hasn't performed in this tournament. Mohammad Wasim Jr was the best bowler for the team, and he must do well in the middle overs along with Iftikhar Ahmed. Haris Rauf has been a big failure, and the side will need a good performance from him.  

Expected Starting XI for Pakistan     

Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Agha Salman, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Haris Rauf 

TOSS: To Bat First      

We have had low-scoring games at Eden. The wicket is challenging to bat on as the ball has stopped on the batsmen. It becomes difficult for the batters in the second half. The side that wins the toss won't hesitate to bat first and aim at putting up a big score on this track.  

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS      

The weatherman predicts slightly cloudy skies over Kolkata. The wicket will be two-paced and create doubts in the batsmen's minds. Batsmen must build their innings on this surface, as the spinners can turn the ball easily. The side batting first shall eye 300 runs on the board to win this game.  

OUR PREDICTION      

England lacks self-belief, as evident by their consistent failures in the tournament. The top order hasn't performed well for the side in this tournament, which is a significant challenge for the side. Pakistan comes into this game with a big win. The top order has done well for the team in the last two games, and the conditions at this venue will suit them. We expect a close game, but the Pakistanis have a slight edge.   

Our Prediction is for Pakistan to win.