Abu Dhabi, November 10

Pakistan and England will be aiming to build one-day sides for the future as they enter a four-match series in Abu Dhabi starting on Wednesday.

Pakistan, who won the preceding three-match Test series 2-0, will be in a tight corner as they seek huge improvement in their one-day ranking, in order to lift themselves for the 2019 World Cup to be held in England. Besides hosts England, seven other top-ranked sides as of 30 September 2017 will qualify directly for the World Cup, and the only way Pakistan can move up the order is by winning matches against the higher-ranked sides. Pakistan, currently ranked eighth as compared to England’s sixth, will be hoping they do not repeat their below-par performances they gave in 2012 when they were blanked 4-0 in the United Arab Emirates.

Skipper Azhar Ali said the series is important for the future as well as rankings. “We have won Tests so we want to take that morale into the one-day series which is very important,” said Ali of the preceding Test win.

Regarding Younis Khan’s debatable selection, despite his poor form in the one-dayers, Ali said he hopes the senior batsman will come good. “Younis is a legend so we hope that he contributes and helps us win,” said Ali, made captain after Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi retired following the World Cup.

To their credit, England have shown remarkable progress after being the only top side not to reach the 2015 World Cup quarter-finals. England beat the 2015 World Cup finalists New Zealand 3-2 before going down fighting by the same result against Australia -- both at home. England media reported some players are training under a baseball expert Julian Wood in order to develop more hitting techniques. England captain Eoin Morgan said his team was progressing well. “We had two very competitive series in which we have seen a lot of youngsters produce some unbelieveable performances and although this series will be different the platform will hold us in good stead,” said Morgan.

However, Morgan said Pakistan pose tough challenges. “They are always challenging and a very capable side various amount of spin and obviously these conditions enhance that challenge.” Both Pakistan and England tuned up for the one-day series with comfortable warm-up wins against Nepal and Hong Kong respectively. The remaining matches will be held in Abu Dhabi (November 13), Sharjah (November 17) and Dubai (November 20).