England v Pakistan World Cup Tips: Beaten champs a horrible price

• England poor favourites

• Eden Gardens pitch one for bowlers

• Babar boosted

England v Pakistan
Saturday 11 November, 08:30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

England v Pakistan World Cup team news

England included Harry Brook and Gus Atkinson in the XI which beat the Dutch easily. We would expect them to be unchanged. Liam Livingstone and Mark Wood to remain on the sidelines. Sam Curran seems to have had his international career ended for him.

Probable XI: Bairstow, Malan, Root, Stokes, Brook, Buttler, Moeen, Woakes, Willey, Atkinson, Rashid

Pakistan are as good as out. They need to win by 287 runs and if they are forced to bat second they cannot qualify. Fakhar Zaman's sensational hitting against New Zealand gave them a lifeline and it's a shame he was dropped so early in the tournament. Hasan Ali is likely to miss out with Pakistan smart to add a spin threat.

Probable XI: Fakhar, Shafique, Babar, Rizwan, Salman, Shakeel, Iftikhar, Shadab/Mir, Wasim, Afridi, Rauf

England v Pakistan World Cup pitch report

Eden Gardens is one for the bowlers. Netherlands made 229 against Bangladesh and won, Bangladesh could manage only 204 in the first dig against Pakistan. South Africa were rolled for 83 after India posted 326. With England's bowling improved, it could be wise to short Pakistan's par line at around the 280 mark.

England v Pakistan World Cup match odds

This is a dead rubber for both teams so we're hardly desperate to play. But England shouldn't be favourites to beat a Big Six side at the moment.

It is reasonable to reckon that Pakistan are at least capable of trading at around that 1.75/7 mark from a pre-toss 2.111/10.

If Pakistan get their team selection right, and that means including at least one specialist spinner, they should be capable of exposing those England batting flaws.

England v Pakistan World Cup player bets

Babar Azam has been boosted to 3/14.00 for top Pakistan bat which is a wager on how often he wins. But Fakhar will be popular at the same price given his striking against the Kiwis.

Joe Root has a century and ton in his last five innings against Pakistan and is 4/15.00. Jos Buttler, who looks shot admittedly, looks big at 9/110.00 and he does give us a whopping edge on win rate. He has two tons in his last four on the head-to-head.

Read more Cricket World Cup tips here.