With the pitch expected to aid slow bowlers, both England and Pakistan are set to rely heavily on their spin strength in their crucial Super Eights clash at the T20 World Cup on Tuesday.

England cricket team may not have produced a complete performance yet, but the two-time champions have managed to get the job done. They began their Super Eights campaign with an emphatic 51-run win over Sri Lanka, a result that significantly improved their net run rate and pushed them to the top of the standings.

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Defending a below-par total, England adapted smartly to the conditions. Their spin duo of Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson applied the squeeze, while pace spearhead Jofra Archer provided crucial breakthroughs to trigger a Sri Lankan collapse.

All-rounder Will Jacks has quietly emerged as a key contributor. While his off-spin has added balance, his batting — 39 against Nepal, 16 versus Scotland and a vital 53 against Italy — has repeatedly rescued England in tricky situations.

Opener Phil Salt also returned to form with a match-winning effort against Sri Lanka, batting beyond the powerplay for the first time in the tournament.

However, concerns remain around Jos Buttler, who is yet to find his rhythm. Captain Harry Brook, himself searching for a big score, has backed the veteran to come good.

“We still haven’t had that perfect game with the bat. We haven’t got the starts and big scores we’d like,” Brook said. “With Jos, Jacob Bethell, myself and Tom Banton not firing fully and still getting over the line, that’s encouraging. Hopefully, the rewards will come soon.”

England also enjoy the advantage of familiarity with the venue, having swept a three-match T20I series here 3-0 earlier this month in addition to their Super Eights win over Sri Lanka.

Pakistan under pressure

Pakistan cricket team, meanwhile, head into the contest under pressure. Their Super Eights opener against New Zealand was washed out, leaving them with just one point and little margin for error.

On a surface that traditionally slows down, Pakistan’s spin depth could prove decisive. Alongside mystery spinner Usman Tariq, they can turn to Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz to contain England’s power-packed batting order.

Batting inconsistency, however, remains a concern. Opener Sahibzada Farhan has been in superb form, leading the tournament’s run charts with 220 runs in four innings. But the likes of Saim Ayub and captain Salman Ali Agha are yet to make telling contributions.

With semi-final hopes hanging in the balance, both sides will look to their spinners to dictate terms in what promises to be a tightly fought contest.

The match begins at 7 pm IST.