Umar Akmal has the bold approach to perfectly suit the Twenty20 generationThe tentacles of Twenty20 cricket wrap ever more firmly around the world game, Pakistan meet England in a hastily arranged two match series that will show just where the two sides lie ahead of the World Twenty20 which starts at the end of April in the Caribbean.
The back of success in the 50 over series against South Africa, there are flickering signs that England's new gung ho approach to the shorter format can bear fruit. Yet their batting has depth, it lacks the match winning class of someone like Yuvraj Singh in this format. Kevin Pietersen possesses an ability that can inspire and frustrate in equal measure and in Eoin Morgan they have one of the brightest prospects in limited-overs cricket.
It's their bowling that looks more vulnerable, lacking decisive pace for the slower wickets in Dubai. You feel Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom, Tim Bresnan and Luke Wright may lack the variety and bite to threaten a free-hitting Pakistan team. It's the spinners, who have proved crucial in Twenty20 cricket and Graeme Swann is one of the best in the business.
Pakistan desperately need a positive result from these games after their drubbing in Australia. With the World Twenty20 just over two months away, the repercussions of the disastrous Australian tour are still being felt. Kamran Akmal, vice-captain in Australia, has been dropped, and his comments to the press ahead of the Hobart Test are being investigated by a board evaluation committee.
There is a great deal of work to do if Pakistan are to successfully defend their World Twenty20 title in the West Indies, and though their form in this format has been good in recent times, these games provide a vital chance to build stability and find some confidence ahead of the tournament. Much will depend on how quickly the squad can get past the squabbles which arose in Australia, and gel as a unit.
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