England snatch T20 thriller and series over Pakistan
Dubai (AFP)- Paceman Chris Woakes held his nerve in the final over to
give England a hard-fought three-run win in the second Twenty20
international over Pakistan in Dubai on Friday.
Woakes conceded just seven runs in the 20th over to restrict Pakistan
to 169-8 and help England defend a 173-run target to give his team an
unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series at Dubai stadium. The
24,000 fans, mostly expats from Pakistan, had expected their team to
pull off a sensational win after skipper Shahid Afridi smashed a
blistering eight-ball 24 with three sixes and a boundary.
England’s team members celebrate their victory during the
second T20 cricket match against Pakistan at the Dubai
International Cricket Stadium on November 27, 2015. AFP |
But Anwar Ali failed to connect on the last delivery off which
Pakistan had needed four for victory.
Afridi took 22 off the 18th over by Woakes but his dismissal on the
last ball left Pakistan to score 25 off the last two overs.
Pakistan's batsmen were once again reckless as most of them got good
starts but failed to capitalise.
Ahmed Shehzad top-scored with an 18-ball 28 with two fours and as
many sixes.
Mohammad Hafeez made 25, Raffatullah Mohmand scored 23, Shoaib Malik
managed 26 off 21 balls while talented Umar Akmal managed just three and
Sohaib Maqsood only two.
England paceman Liam Plunkett bowled with fire and venom to finish
with 3-33 while leg-spinner Adil Rashid grabbed 2-18 in his four probing
overs.
England won the first match -- also in Dubai -- by 14 runs. The final
match is in Sharjah on Monday.
"It was a bit stressful as captain," said England's stand-in skipper
Jos Buttler. "We certainly weren't as fluent as we liked. Staying calm
is key with the nature of Twenty20 cricket and you have to give the
bowlers the ownership of what they want to do and trust them. "It's a
fantastic win and we are very happy".
Afridi said his team have plenty of work to do. "First I want to
congratulate England as they are playing really well," said Afridi. "But
we have to improve our fitness and fielding before the World Twenty20
(next year in India).
"I had a good opportunity to win the game but I missed it."
England were lifted to 172-8 by a quickfire 24-ball 38 by James Vince
and 22-ball-33 by Buttler as they upped the tempo by notching 58 in the
last five overs.
Leg-spinner Shahid Afridi, who took 3-15 in his four overs, derailed
the England batting after they looked well-set at 32-0 in the fourth
over.
Afridi trapped Alex Hales leg before for 11 and then had Jason Roy
caught behind for 22-ball 29 (two sixes and a four) to leave England at
47-2. Joe Root made 20 before Buttler and Vince lifted England with a
35-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Afridi returned for his last over to have Vince caught in the
deep.Vince hit two sixes and three boundaries.
His wicket was Afridi's 86th in as many matches, beating countryman
Saeed Ajmal (85 wickets in 64 matches) as the highest wicket-taker in
all Twenty20 cricket.
Buttler smashed three sixes and a boundary to give England a
challenging total to defend. England, who won the first match by 14 runs
in Dubai on Thursday, rested skipper Eoin Morgan in one of four changes
to their side.
Pakistan brought back Shehzad and Malik in place of Mohammad Rizwan
and Imran Khan Junior. |