'Skillful' Pakistan bowlers will pose threat to English batsmen: Stuart Broad

Published June 30, 2016
Stuart Broad expects Pakistani players to have "a lot of knowledge" of the English conditions. —Reuters/File
Stuart Broad expects Pakistani players to have "a lot of knowledge" of the English conditions. —Reuters/File

England's Stuart Broad thinks "skillful" Pakistan team's bowling attack will pose a significant challenge to the English batsmen when the two sides face-off for a Test series next month.

The fast bowler warned, however, that Misbah-ul-Haq’s men should not take the situation easily, cricketworld.com reported on Thursday.

"England can be a very very good place to bowl but also if you get it wrong you can go ... and generally the real pace bowlers have struggled with their records in England - the likes of Brett Lee, the guys who might miss their length now and again," he said.

"But I think Pakistan will pose a pretty dangerous threat because they are very skillful."

Pakistan is the only Test side that currently has the edge over England, beating them in their last two series played in the UAE in 2012 and last year.

The record has been different on English pitches, however. Pakistan have won nine Tests in England but only twice since 2000 — Old Trafford in 2001 and The Oval in 2010, which was a tour marred by the spot-fixing controversy.

"They've got some world-class players," Broad said of the Pakistan side.

He said his team weren't "quite good enough" to win the UAE series against Pakistan, but added "we know the dangers they pose".

Pakistan's bowling isn't the only element Broad expects to be a challenge.

"They are a very experienced batting line-up, certainly in the middle order, quite an astute coaching set-up - now with Mushtaq Ahmed involved as well, who has done a lot of work with the English cricket team."

Broad said he expects the Pakistani players to have "a lot of knowledge" of the English conditions.

"It's going to be an exciting place for us as a team to be and the fact that it's the only Test trophy we don't have."

Starting July 14, Pakistan will play four Tests, five ODIs and one T20 on the tour besides two ODI matches against Ireland.

Opinion

Editorial

Business concerns
Updated 26 Apr, 2024

Business concerns

There is no doubt that these issues are impeding a positive business clime, which is required to boost private investment and economic growth.
Musical chairs
26 Apr, 2024

Musical chairs

THE petitioners are quite helpless. Yet again, they are being expected to wait while the bench supposed to hear...
Global arms race
26 Apr, 2024

Global arms race

THE figure is staggering. According to the annual report of Sweden-based think tank Stockholm International Peace...
Digital growth
Updated 25 Apr, 2024

Digital growth

Democratising digital development will catalyse a rapid, if not immediate, improvement in human development indicators for the underserved segments of the Pakistani citizenry.
Nikah rights
25 Apr, 2024

Nikah rights

THE Supreme Court recently delivered a judgement championing the rights of women within a marriage. The ruling...
Campus crackdowns
25 Apr, 2024

Campus crackdowns

WHILE most Western governments have either been gladly facilitating Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, or meekly...