Liam Plunkett, on his first game on tour, bowled with pace, returning 3 for 21 in a fiery spell that hastened Pakistan’s collapse, before the home side ended up at 146 in 20 overs.
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Afridi blitzed a seven-ball 24 against an England attack without the rested Reece Topley but, needing four to win off the final ball, Pakistan were restricted to 169-8.
Pakistan’s success against Zimbabwe has contributed to their recent record, one of which Afridi is proud – albeit in the knowledge more finetuning is needed ahead of the World Twenty20 in India next year. However, Pakistan were set their sixth highest successful T20 chase and Afridi, still hopes his young team will fight hard.
England and Pakistan face off in the first of three T20 Internationals (T2oIs) at Dubai.
The third T20 takes place in Sharjah on Monday.
Toss: Jos Buttler, the stand-in England captain, won the toss and chose to bat in the second Twenty20 International against Pakistan at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday (November 27).
Vince continued last season’s form, when he made more T20 runs (710 at 59.6) than any player in the history of England’s domestic T20 competition.
It was a topsy-turvy match for Chris Woakes, who finished on 15 not out, 13 of them in the last over, when he batted. “I’ve obviously been vice-captain for a while, and it’s a lot easier job when you can give your two-pence and then step back and not be accountable for the decision”.
England’s knock started sluggishly, the visitors losing openers Jason Roy (9) and Alex Hales (8) – the latter after he had been dropped twice off the same ball by Sohail Tanvir (2-31) – as well as Moeen Ali (0) to stumble to 19-3. Also included in the team were David Willey, Adil Rashid and Chris Woakes.
He bowled Sarfraz to put himself on a hat-trick and the hosts just ran out of time in a match which nonetheless went down to the last ball, Anwar Ali unable to hit it for the four required off Woakes.
Man of the match Billings was run out on the final ball of the innings for 53, while his 24-ball half-century was the joint-second fastest by an England batsman in a T20I.
Afridi picks another wicket as Vince walks back.
Plunkett was adjudged as the Man of the Match for his contribution with the ball.
“As long as that continues, and we’re really honest with ourselves and learn along the way, it will hold us in good stead for the Twenty20 World Cup”.
We will be covering the game live here on VAVEL.
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“Besides that we are ranked number two so it’s an important series for us in many ways and we will do our best to win it”.
