Let’s try that one again. Wednesday’s first T20 international between England and Pakistan was a complete washout, but the prospects are a whole lot better today. Although there’s a chance of a shower between 3pm and 4pm – I’m not talking about England here – we will almost certainly get a full game.
That means a cocktail of anticipation and trepidation for England fans. Not because of the result, but because Jofra Archer should make his return to international cricket. His age – 29 – doesn’t look right, because he’s been frozen in time since the magical summer of 2019. But he has already said that another setback could be his last.
The Headingley washout means this game is effectively the first of a three-match series, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it warm-up to the T20 World Cup. It’s hard to rate England’s chances. On the one hand they’re the holders; on the other, their squad includes a number of players who endured a desperate 50-over World Cup last year.
England have made a few changes off the field, including the canny recruitment of Kieron Pollard as a consultant. They have also signed the psychologist David Young, who played a key part in the 2019 World Cup win, on loan from Manchester City.
“Having David back is really exciting,” said the England head coach Matthew Mott. “He’s previously been with the team and he’s already been a great ally in messages back to me, making sure my messages are clear. It’s always good to have someone who’s a little bit removed from the squad to make sure you’re landing your messages.
“In India all of us were guilty of being a bit insular and trying to problem solve ourselves. We’ve made a commitment to open up and be a bit more vulnerable as a group so that we’re helping each other. We feel like it’s time to get the mojo back and go out and really express ourselves as a team.”
The match starts at 2.30pm, with the toss at 2pm.