LAHORE: Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi on Saturday said that the hosts would try to restrict England, who lost even after posting a 400-plus score in their last ODI of the tri-nation series, to a lower total when they meet here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday, Shaheen said that the hosts were focused on restricting their opponents to a manageable total.
“We are not considering which team scored 400 or 500. Our target is to restrict the opposition to around 250 to 260,” Shaheen told reporters ahead of the first match of the Lahore leg of the tri-series, also involving Sri Lanka.
England, after smashing 429-4 against Sri Lanka in the tri-series match on Thursday, could not defend the mammoth total and lost the thrilling match by two wickets.
Pakistan, who have won both their tri-series matches, need a victory against England today to secure their place in the Oct 31 final. Sri Lanka have won one and lost one in the series.
Whereas England, having lost both their tri-series games in Rawalpindi, face a massive task. The Harry Brook-led side may exit the event early in case of a loss to Pakistan today.
Shaheen said that Pakistan had performed well in the tri-series by successfully defending totals — of 305 and 302 — despite challenging conditions for bowlers in Rawalpindi.
“So far, we have played good cricket, and will try to maintain the momentum in the coming matches too,” he said.
While terming the pitches prepared for the tri-series as good, Shaheen said that he had requested similar surfaces for the Lahore leg.
SAIM VALUABLE PLAYER
The Pakistan captain backed struggling opener Saim Ayub, describing the southpaw as a valuable all-rounder despite his recent lean patch.
“Saim is a utility all-rounder. Although he has been going through a bad patch for the last few months, he is a good option as a spinner and also contributes in the field,” the skipper said while also defending experienced opener Fakhar Zaman, calling him one of Pakistan’s key ODI players.
Shaheen said that Pakistan were trying to prepare fast pitches to help their pace bowlers perform better, adding that similar conditions would be useful at the 2027 ICC World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Calling Abrar Ahmed as an important weapon, the lanky pacer said that the mystery spinner would be selected whenever the conditions allowed.The skipper also praised middle-order batter Hasan Nawaz, saying the youngster had improved his skills after training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
BROOK’S MEN READY FOR THE CHALLENGE
Meanwhile, England all-rounder Will Jacks at his presser acknowledged that his side was disappointed after losing the thrilling encounter against Sri Lanka but insisted that the defeats did not mean the team had lost their way in the tri-series.
When asked about England’s recent losses, Jacks said that playing in unfamiliar conditions posed challenges for any touring side.
“I would not say we have an issue. Rather, I would say that, like any touring team, we are playing in foreign conditions, and you have to work your way through each individual match,” he told reporters. “We are growing as a team and have been developing really well. In T20s, we have excelled over the last two years, and in 50-over, we have been moving in the right direction.
Jacks continued, “More recently, we have had two losses in this tri-series, but that does not immediately mean we are a bad team.
“We had a great tour of Sri Lanka in January, and I think we were the first side to beat them at home in five years. So we understand what we are capable of doing,” he underlined.
Jacks said that England, who still had two matches to play in the tri-series, remained determined.
“We are now in a very simple situation where we have to win both our games, and we are looking forward to the challenge,” he stated.
Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2026
