They need to win the series, at least by a 2-1 margin, to maintain their standings – a fact Shahid Afridi believes will spur on his team.
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Series: A new-look England side pulled ahead in the three-match series with a 14-run win in the first T20I.
Sarfraz Ahmed made 20 runs off 13 balls that included a lucky over-throw boundary that was deflected off his bat as he dived to make his ground in an attempt for a quick second run. Anwar Ali who was on strike failed to connect sending thousands into stunned silence.
Having won the toss, Morgan elected for first use of the track and the Middlesex batsman sprung a surprise or two with his team selection.
England clinched a Twenty20 series win over Pakistan with a thrilling three-run victory in the second match in Dubai on Friday despite a fine all-round performance from Shahid Afridi.
England were lifted to 8-172 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.
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.
Both the English openers, Jason Roy (9) and Alex Hales (8) got out in the mandatory power play without making any strong impression on the opposition.
The pressure was back on Woakes with 11 needed from the final over and Sarfraz Ahmed (19) still at the crease, but Woakes bowled him with a well-directed yorker first ball which Sarfraz swept onto his stumps.
Morgan found himself explaining the reasons first-choice pair Jos Buttler and Joe Root were omitted, and he had no hesitation citing a rare opportunity to test England’s most talented young players – in the absence of any provided on home soil by the NatWest T20 Blast.
Asked about the Pakistan players’ reaction to a possible series between the arch-rivals in Sri Lanka next month, Afridi replied: I think cricket should go on between Pakistan and India because it creates good contacts.
He hopes the forthcoming three matches in five days, to end this tour of the United Arab Emirates, can help to ready his team for the next ICC World Twenty20 in India in March.
“I missed the chance”.
Buttler said: “I’ll take that”.
“We certainly weren’t as fluent as we liked”. Plunkett, Parry and Rashid bowled really well.
Once again, Afridi came to Pakistan’s rescue as he induced a top edge off Vince, which was caught at square leg. England were 109 for four at that stage.
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“You can’t dwell on it, you’ve got to move forward”.
