Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl first vs England
Speaking to Sky Sports before the game, Archer said that he felt “like a hamster on the wheel” during his prolonged rehabilitation. “You’ve got to get up and keep going, day in, day out,” he said. “But I’m back here, so it has to be worth it… being around the guys has been really refreshing. I’ve been rehabbing as long as I can remember, so it’s great to be back here.”
Archer said he is viewing his return on a “game-by-game” basis, adding: “I’ve been bowling since November last year, but the step-up, there’s always that extra 10% more intensity that you put in, especially in big games. Hopefully I can get through today, get through the other two games and get myself on the plane… as long as I bowl my four overs today, I’m happy.”
This is Gary Kirsten’s first match in charge of Pakistan since his appointment as their white-ball coach. “It’s good to see him. He’s a positive coach and he’s given us good planning,” Babar said, while acknowledging the green shirts in the sold-out Edgbaston crowd. “Always, when we are coming to Birmingham, the supporters are on the top. We enjoy it a lot.”
England: 1 Jos Buttler (capt/wk), 2 Phil Salt, 3 Will Jacks, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Liam Livingstone, 8 Chris Jordan, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Reece Topley.
Pakistan: 1 Babar Azam (capt), 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Mohammad Rizwan, 4 Fakhar Zaman, 5 Shadab Khan, 6 Azam Khan (wk), 7 Iftikhar Ahmed, 8 Imad Wasim, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Mohammad Amir.