Cricket analysis: Betting tips for England vs Pakistan and Afghanistan vs India
Two very different international cricket betting opportunities headline this week's action, with England looking to complete a Test series whitewash against Pakistan before India begin a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.
England have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead at Headingley and Lord's, while India will be looking to rebuild confidence after a difficult run of T20I results.
Suggested bets at a glance:
England vs Pakistan: England to win
England top batter: Joe Root
England top bowler: Ollie Robinson
Pakistan top batter: Abdullah Shafique
Pakistan top bowler: Mohammad Abbas
India vs Afghanistan: India to win
India top batter: Shreyas Iyer
India top bowler: Arshdeep Singh
Afghanistan top batter: Ibrahim Zadran
Afghanistan top bowler: Rashid Khan
READ MORE: Cricket betting tips: Back England to dominate Pakistan again at Lord’s
England vs Pakistan, third Test
Date: Wednesday, September 9
Time: 11am BST
Venue: Edgbaston, Birmingham
England are overwhelming favourites to complete a 3-0 series victory after winning the first two Tests by an innings and 103 runs and 194 runs respectively.
The gap between the teams has been underlined by Pakistan's extraordinary squad overhaul.
Seven players were released from the touring party following the Lord's defeat, while five uncapped players were brought into the squad alongside recalls for Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique.
The coaching staff was also changed, with Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul stepping away.
England, by contrast, retained the same XI for the third Test, giving them considerably more continuity.
Joe Root top England batter
Joe Root has been relatively quiet during the first two Tests, making Edgbaston an appealing venue for a response.
The England captain has an excellent record at the ground and remains the obvious class act in a batting line-up containing Harry Brook, Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith.
England's stability also makes Root attractive in the top-batter market, particularly against a Pakistan attack that has already struggled to maintain pressure across long periods.
Ollie Robinson top England bowler
Ollie Robinson has been one of England's standout performers during the series and entered the third Test in excellent form.
The Edgbaston conditions should suit England's seamers, while Robinson's ability to exploit movement and bowl long spells makes him a strong top-bowler option.
Indeed, Robinson took his 100th Test wicket on the opening morning of the match, dismissing Saim Ayub.
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Mohammad Abbas top Pakistan bowler
Mohammad Abbas has arguably been Pakistan's most reliable performer during an otherwise difficult series.
He remains the logical Pakistan bowling selection, particularly given his experience and ability to exploit movement rather than relying purely on pace.
Best bets:
Match winner: England
Top England batter: Joe Root
Top England bowler: Ollie Robinson
Top Pakistan batter: Abdullah Shafique
Top Pakistan bowler: Mohammad Abbas
Afghanistan vs India, first T20I
Date: Sunday, September 13
Time: 2:30pm BST
Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
India begin their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan as heavy favourites, but this is more interesting than the outright market suggests.
The defending T20 World Cup champions have suffered successive series defeats against Ireland and England before restoring some confidence with a 3-0 victory over Zimbabwe.
India have responded by selecting a strong squad for the Afghanistan series, with Shreyas Iyer continuing as captain and Jasprit Bumrah returning subject to fitness clearance.
Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar are also fitness-dependent selections.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, have assembled an experienced squad led by Ibrahim Zadran, who is taking charge as full-time T20I captain for the first time.
Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Azmatullah Omarzai provide plenty of international experience, while Naveen-ul-Haq returns after recovering from injury.
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India still the side to beat
India's depth is the key difference.
Their batting options run deep, while Arshdeep Singh, Bumrah and a strong group of spinners give them considerably more variety with the ball.
That makes India the logical match-winner selection, even if the price is unlikely to offer much value.
Ibrahim Zadran the Afghanistan batting angle
Ibrahim is particularly interesting because of his dual role as captain and top-order batter.
He produced a superb 95 from 56 balls against Canada at the 2026 T20 World Cup and will be central to Afghanistan's hopes of putting India under pressure.
Shreyas Iyer the India batting pick
Iyer's leadership role should also put him firmly into the conversation in India's top-batter market.
He has been entrusted with leading the T20I side despite India's recent difficulties, and his position near the top of the order gives him a strong opportunity to influence the contest.
Rashid Khan remains Afghanistan's biggest threat
The obvious danger to India is Rashid.
With the Arun Jaitley Stadium likely to offer conditions where spin can become increasingly influential, Afghanistan's ability to take wickets through Rashid, Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb Ur Rahman gives them a genuine route into the game.
Best bets:
Match winner: India
Top India batter: Shreyas Iyer
Top India bowler: Arshdeep Singh
Top Afghanistan batter: Ibrahim Zadran
Top Afghanistan bowler: Rashid Khan
Overall verdict
England's dominance makes them the obvious selection against a Pakistan side undergoing major structural changes, while India's superior depth should give them the edge against Afghanistan.
The more interesting betting opportunities, however, are in the player markets, where Root, Robinson, Ibrahim, Iyer, Arshdeep and Rashid all have clear statistical or tactical cases behind them.
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