England vs Pakistan Prediction and Betting Tips: Back Mark Wood to be top wicket taker

England are the defending T20 World Cup champions and they will warm up for this year’s tournament with a four-game series against Pakistan, which starts at Headingley on Wednesday.

The hosts have won the last eight meetings in all formats, but have lost five of their last seven T20 internationals and cannot afford to underestimate this Pakistan side.

The visitors are fresh from a series win over Ireland in this format and have plenty of top level talent heading into this first match. 

One advantage that England will have over Pakistan in this series is that many of their stars are fresh from competing in the Indian Premier League, which Pakistani players do not play in.

One of those who has been a big force in this year’s IPL is opener Phil Salt. The 27-year-old was drafted in as a late replacement for Jason Roy by Kolkata Knight Riders and starred for the team.

Salt hit 435 runs for KKR from 12 matches at a strike rate of 182 and an average of 39.54. The big-hitting opener also made two centuries in England’s last T20 series against the West Indies and is fancied to be one of their standout performers here.

The Lancashire batter is taken to be the top runscorer for Jos Buttler’s side.

Babar Azam is Pakistan captain. He has led by example over the years and the classy 29-year-old right-hander has continued to do that in recent performances.

The batter has made 75, 57 and 69 in three of his last four T20 innings and looks set for another big series for his nation.

As a result of that the line of 27.5 runs seems on the low side and Azam is expected to go over that total.

The fitness of England’s pace bowlers is set to be a key determining factor in their success this summer and, while Jofra Archer will not be ready to feature yet, Mark Wood is set to lead the attack.

The paceman is one of the most explosive bowlers in the world and has a strong record in T20I cricket, averaging just 18 in the format for his country.

Left-armer Reece Topley failed to make a major impression in the IPL this season and Wood is still the key quick in this line-up, so take him to be the top England wicket taker in the first game.