Cricket betting tips: Best bets for Pakistan vs England and New Zealand vs India
Pakistan and England meet in the second match of the ongoing Tri-series in Rawalpindi, while India begin their five-match T20I series against New Zealand in Christchurch.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s cricket betting expert Himanshu Sharma breaks down the best bets, value plays, and key betting angles ahead of this week’s action.
Pakistan vs England, 2nd match of Pakistan Tri-Series 2026
Date and time: Tuesday, October 20 at 9:00 AM BST
Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
Pakistan head into the contest after a solid win over Sri Lanka in the tri-series opener.
Salman Agha’s century helped them post 305 before their seamers restricted Sri Lanka’s chase to win by 37 runs.
Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem were both left out, but Pakistan may need to reconsider that approach against England.
The visitors have a power-packed line-up that could relish a pace-heavy attack, while quality spin remains a threat.
England will be without Jofra Archer, who has been rested, and the injured Jos Buttler.
Nevertheless, they start as favourites after a strong home summer in which their white-ball sides swept aside India and Sri Lanka across both ODI and T20I formats.
The toss could prove crucial under lights in Rawalpindi, where chasing teams have generally enjoyed success.
Pakistan bucked that trend in their previous game, but the broader pattern makes England’s pre-match price less appealing.
With a fresh pitch expected, a first-innings total above 300 looks achievable. The ground has also seen 336 chased successfully, underlining the potential for a high-scoring contest.
England are priced at 1.55, with Pakistan at 2.30. England’s price looks short before the toss.
Joe Root is England’s player to watch. He has struggled to convert recent opportunities into big scores, but his technique against spin and experience in subcontinental conditions make him a strong candidate to lead England’s batting.
Best bets
England to win (1.55). Consider an in-play entry for a better price.
Joe Root to be England’s top batter
New Zealand vs India, 1st T20I
Date and time: Thursday, October 22 at 8:00 AM BST
Venue: Hagley Oval, Christchurch
India begin the five-match T20I series as favourites after dominating New Zealand in recent meetings, but their bowling vulnerabilities offer the hosts a route into the contest.
The tourists head to Christchurch with a strong recent record against New Zealand, having won four of the five T20Is during their January tour before beating them by 96 runs in the T20 World Cup final in March.
New Zealand, meanwhile, return to the format after a lengthy break, with their last T20I coming against Bangladesh in May.
The hosts still have plenty of firepower through Tim Seifert, Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips. Their best chance may be to attack during the powerplay and build a total capable of putting pressure on India’s bowlers.
India's batting remains a major strength.
Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan have all shown they can score quickly, while Shreyas Iyer's recent century against West Indies adds further depth.
However, India's bowling will need to improve after West Indies chased down 249 in Ranchi and posted 247 in Hyderabad during the recent T20I series.
Hagley Oval can produce high-scoring contests, as England's 236 for 4 here in October 2025 demonstrated. A first-innings total in excess of 200 is a decent bet.
India are priced at 1.53, with New Zealand at 2.70.
There is limited value on the favourites, while New Zealand offer a higher-risk alternative, particularly given India’s recent bowling struggles.
Best bets
New Zealand to win (2.70): A higher-risk reward opportunity
First-innings total over 200
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