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.
Advertisement
Morgan said: “I thought they were exceptional – at 19 for three, James Vince coming in on his debut to play the way he did on a wicket that the three before struggled to adjust to was outstanding”.
Afridi was the best bowler on display with three wickets to his name and an economy of 3.75.
It was an eventful game for Afridi, who earlier took three wickets for just 15 runs in his four overs, his skiddy legbreaks causing problems for the English batsmen.
Pakistan have made two changes to the side that was beaten on Thursday.
A second win in successive days clinched the three-match series ahead of Monday’s final match in Sharjah and Buttler said: “I’ll take that”.
Afridi dispatched for 33 runs in his four overs in the opening game of the series struck with his first ball today sending back Alex Hales for 11.
Pakistan´s bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed Saturday blamed poor fielding and lack of fitness for his team´s Twenty20 series loss against England as he warned they needed huge improvement before next year´s World Twenty20.
Joe Root also chipped in with 20 and Chris Woakes hit a quickfire 15 off seven balls at the death to help England to a competitive 172/8 from their 20 overs.
England were favourites for a comfortable win when Malik pulled Plunkett to Billings in the deep. “We did not play our greatest, Afridi performed as exclusively he can however we obtained over the road”, stand-in captain Buttler stated. For Woakes to come back for the last over after getting a beating from Afridi says a lot about him. With four required for victory from the final ball – and three for a super over – Anwar Ali heaved at a length ball outside off stump and failed to make contact.
“We got into a position where we should have won the game more comfortably – we were not at our best with bat or ball, but we did enough at the right times and fair play to Chris for standing up when it mattered in that last over”.
It left Pakistan needing 64 runs from 30 balls and when Shoaib Malik holed out to become Liam Plunkett’s third wicket it looked like it was game over.
Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez tried to remain upbeat.
“Afridi just gave himself too much to do in the end”.
Advertisement
“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”.
