England vs Pakistan 4th Test Preview & Prediction

If PAK Bat First

Predicted Score: Around 350

One of their major issues with the bat is that Mohammad Hafeez hasn't got going at all and Pakistan badly need a good innings from him. Azhar Ali with a first-innings century and Sami Aslam with fifties in both the innings were the most impressive of all the Pakistani batsmen in the third test. Misbah-ul-Haq is leading from the front, scoring the maximum runs for the team, and he is unarguably the best man in their middle order. So Aslam, Ali and Misbah are the ones that can take Pakistan to 350 and beyond.

They will have to be very careful against Anderson, Broad and Woakes who all have been among the wickets. The trio will be England's best bet to throw Pakistan's batting off the track with some quick wickets. Woakes has been exceptional with 23 wickets so far and he is likely to finish the series as the highest wicket-taker. Pakistan's inability to handle reverse swing led to their downfall in the last test and if it happens again, they could fold below 250.

Eng vs Pak Head-to-Head Record

Pakistan have now played 50 tests in England against the hosts, winning only 10 of these and losing 22 with 18 resulting in draw. Prior to this series, the two teams have played 13 test series with each other in England with the visitors emerging winners in only three of them. Pakistan, however, have happy memories at the Kennington Oval. They have four wins in the nine tests here with two games being drawn - a win percentage of nearly 50.

Our Prediction

Pakistan did almost everything right in the first half of the third test, bowling England out for less than 300 and then acquiring a solid lead of 103. But they lost their way in the latter half of the match with the batsmen having no answers to the reverse swingers thrown at them by the English pacemen. England's second big victory over Pakistan can lead many to wonder whether their loss in the first test was just a blip.

There is no doubt that Pakistan have performed above everyone's expectations on this tour and it won't be fair to write them off given their decent record at the Kennington Oval. But England have been just too good at home in recent years which makes us confident in deeming them favorites to win the final test and hence the series.