Southampton, Aug 24 : Azhar Ali has decided to bat first on the dry Rose Bowl surface. Not too bad a decision. The big news is, Yasir Shah will have to wait to make his comeback.

Winning is said to be a habit, but can it also be contagious? What about indomitable spirit and the the urge to fight well enough to turn the tide spectacularly on its head? On the eve of the One-Day International series against England, Azhar Ali will definitely hope so. He'd also hope that the change of flannels seldom brings about a change in the way Pakistan take on the hosts in the upcoming five-match ODI series.

Gritty, plucky and fiercely determined - these three qualities best describe Misbah-ul-Haq's men who managed a 2-2 draw in the four-match Test series, in conditions completely contrasting to what they're better accustomed to in the UAE, thereby shattering the conformity of teams of today being 'kings at home and paupers away'.

Coloured kits, however, bring about a challenge of a different proportion. In times of distress and utter shambles, there won't be the most comfortable cushion that is Misbah, to fall back on. The expectation and pressure on Azhar's shoulders would've doubled since the 41-year-old displayed a fine example of leadership during the engrossing Test series.

The quadrant of Umar Gul, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz and Imad Wasim face the huge task of nullifying the potent threat that England's batting line-up carries. From clipping the wings of Jason Roy and Alex Hales early and denying Joe Root the chance to get his eye in, to curbing Eoin Morgan's array of strokeplay, the Pakistan bowlers will have their hands full.

On paper, Pakistan's batting-order comes up as second-best against England's, but the carry-forward of high levels of confidence from the Tests will be enough to keep the visitors buoyant and the hosts on their toes.

With a runs-filled dry surface to play on, at the Rose Bowl, Pakistan's fate will ultimately rest on how well they tame a batting line-up that is capable of decimating opposition's attack at home. Likewise, a blazing start could help England keep their opponent at an arm's length from very early stages of the game.

Teams:

England (Playing XI): Alex Hales, Jason Roy, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan(c), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler(w), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, Mark Wood

Pakistan (Playing XI): Azhar Ali(c), Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed(w), Mohammad Nawaz, Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Umar Gul

Morgan: 'We would have batted first as well, wicket looks pretty good. Stokes is back purely as a batter. Huge amount of talent in the side, leaving out players has been tough. Huge potential for growth. Wood is back. It's great to see him come back and hit form. Been bowling with a lot of venom.'

Azhar: 'The wicket looks dry, we will be batting first. No Yasir isn't playing today.'