Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has predicted that Pakistan will win the Test series against England if Mohammad Rizwan is given the captaincy baton. Pakistan was stunned by Bangladesh by 2-0 in a two-match Test series despite playing in the home conditions.

The Tigers won the opening Test at Rawalpindi by 10 wickets and then won the second game by six wickets at the same venue. After their series loss against Bangladesh, Pakistan captain Shan Masood has been heavily criticised by the experts.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan was the standout batter for Pakistan in the series as he amassed 294 runs in two matches at an impressive average of 98 but he didn’t get enough support from the other end.

Basit Ali said on his YouTube Channel, “Pakistan will win the Test series against England if Mohammad Rizwan is made the captain. (from 12:10) You will see a different Babar Azam in the England series, but the condition is that the captain should be Rizwan.”

On the other hand, Ali reckons if in-form England batter Joe Root scores a hundred against Pakistan, he won’t spare the bowlers. The former England captain has amassed 350 runs in two Test matches at an unbelievable average of 116.67, including two centuries against Sri Lanka in the ongoing series.

“Joe Root has always performed against Sri Lanka. The English media have been saying that Root will break Sachin Tendulkar’s record. He won’t break that record. If he scores a century against Pakistan, I won’t spare the bowlers. Tendulkar’s stature is different, he was a very big player.”

The opening Test match between Pakistan and England will be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan from October 7 onwards.