Monday 22 August 2016 12:08, UK
In what was widely regarded as one of the most keenly contested Test series witnessed on English soil for years, Pakistan's cricketers won kudos from experts around the globe for their never-say-die attitude as they came from behind to draw the series.
While the euphoria around the Test squad's performance and ranking may show no signs of abating on the streets of Lahore and Karachi, there is also a firm understanding that results in the Test series away from home have no real bearing on the outcome of the tough upcoming ODI series against England.
The recent tally of losses for Pakistan against England in the fifty over format makes for embarrassing reading. In the last thirteen games played between the sides during 2010-2015, Pakistan have won just three times.
This is a statistic which paints a grim picture of total dominance by England and partly explains why Pakistan find themselves languishing at ninth position in the ICC rankings and staring the possibility of an embarrassing qualification stage for the 2019 edition of the ICC World Cup.
The quandary confronting Pakistan selectors for this ODI series was therefore to select a squad which had just the right blend of youth and experience to provide immediate relief as well as help establish some new names for future challenges.
Thus, the return of Umar Gul who had been discarded for previous series may have been a surprise to many but seems to underline the belief that his past experience of playing in England will help guide younger fast-bowlers.
In this regard, the very promising and fast-improving Hasan Ali who recently took 20 wickets in eight matches during the Pakistan A tour of England and debuted against Ireland may well get a chance to bowl in tandem with the experienced Gul.
Regardless of Gul or Hasan's selection for the team, it is a given that Mohammad Amir will be opening the bowling for Pakistan during this series and if his form and speed from the Test series is any indication, he should prove to be a handful for England's batsmen on any surface.
The need-for-speed element in the Pakistan bowling attack may well be further satisfied with the inclusion of the express pace of Wahab Riaz. England batsmen facing a fired up Wahab could well feel the same uneasiness at the crease as Shane Watson did in that iconic quarter-final clash with Pakistan in the 2015 World Cup.
Whether the tenacious version of Wahab of 2015 will resurface again in England this summer is moot but glimpses of his abilities were evident in the recently concluded Test series and England would be advised not to underestimate him.
Yasir Shah's record in ODIs of a total of 18 wickets in 15 ODIs will hardly give England batsmen any sleepless nights but he is another player whose form in the recent Test series gives hope to the visiting team.
Unlike the Test matches, the competition for places in the ODI squad for spinners will not be that straightforward as Wales-born Imad Wasim who recently took five wickets against Ireland or the impressive Mohammad Nawaz will provide ample choices for the Pakistan team management.
Pakistan's batting strength in contrast to its bowling equivalent represents a different challenge as far as England are concerned. Given a sorry list of below par scores accumulated by the Pakistan batsmen recently in ODIs, it would appear that the England bowlers may have little to worry about.
The crown of ODI captain sits uncomfortably on Azhar Ali's head at this time as his string of low scores does not provide the solidity at the top of the batting order which Pakistan badly desire. On top of that, Mohammad Hafeez's dismal showing in the Test series will be another worry for Pakistan but as always, there is light at the end of this tunnel.
Hard-hitting opening batsman Sharjeel Khan's majestic 152 against Ireland, the third fastest 150 in ODI cricket history would have brought a smile to an otherwise very worried Pakistan Head Coach Mickey Arthur's face and in Sami Aslam, there is further evidence of raw talent waiting to reinforce his credentials in a similar manner to the Test series.
If Pakistan wanted an experienced head to steady their nerves while batting, they would have to look no further than Pakistan's former captain, Shoaib Malik. His vast experience of 233 ODIs, where he has amassed over 6,000 runs will provide the necessary backbone to a somewhat brittle and inconsistent batting line up.
As Pakistan look to the future, and beyond the upcoming series, the presence of youth in their squad in the shape of the highly talented and stylish batsman Babar Azam who is the cousin of the Akmal brothers should also be a source of great comfort.
Along with Imad Wasim and Nawaz, a talented duo who apart from being useful spin options can add runs at a quick pace, Pakistan's wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed will provide the necessary kick to the scoreboard with his street-smart and unorthodox scoring skills.
Sweeping fast bowlers with disdain and grabbing boundaries when least expected, Sarfraz will need to be the mainstay of Pakistan's middle-order and guide the lower order and tailenders to contribute with the bat.
Pakistan's ODI record against England may not provide enough confidence to many but they will draw a lot of inspiration from the manner in which the Pakistan Test squad defied pundits to cover themselves with glory.
In Arthur and his staff, which now includes the much experienced former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood, there is optimism and a new found confidence which should manifest itself in how the ODI team takes on a much vaunted England side.
The home side for their part may well feel they have an edge over the visitors due to past records, but as the theory goes, past success is no guarantee of future gains and if there is one team that can put that theory in practice, it is Pakistan.
England go into the one-day series as clear favourites, but as their Test team realised, you underestimate or write-off Pakistan at your peril.
Watch England take on Pakistan in the first ODI live on Sky Sports Mix and Sky Sports 2 from 1.30pm on Wednesday.
