England have beaten Pakistan by only three runs in the second T20 global in Dubai to win the three-match series with one to play.
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England are therefore in a hurry to find out as much as possible as quickly as possible, in time for the ICC World Twenty20 next March, about how their own rising stars react to pressure situations. Pakistan were hampered by the loss of Shoaib Malik in the 1st T20I, which cost them dear in all departments.
To be honest, four games out from the World Twenty20 in India, England should have settled on their best side by now. Jason Roy also fell to Afridi’s nagging line and length; he was snaffled behind the stumps by Sarfraz Ahmed after a contribution of 29 runs.
The latter had held the first catch and then doubled up with his second wicket in his second over, ending a fretful stay for Rafatullah Mohmand when he had the 39-year-old debutant opener caught behind trying to pull. Sohail Tanvir has trouble locating the ball out of the night sky. Seven off four. A couple of singles; five off two.
During the match, the star player Afridi co-incidentally broke the record of his team mate and long term bowling partner Saeed Ajmal after dismissing England s James Vince.
“If someone gets to know in global cricket in which hand one should hold the bat and that you don´t have to look at the ball but at your partner when you take a run, then it´s quite a worrying thing”.
He tried to repeat the dose two balls later, but picked out Umar Akmal at long on, who took a terrific catch as he nearly tumbled over the boundary, but managed to throw the ball back up in the air, regain his balance, and complete the catch back inside the rope.
A brilliant 22-ball cameo from Buttler ended when he edged a delivery from Tanvir to the keeper.
They were given a mighty scare by Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi who followed up three wickets with 24 from just eight deliveries. However the Pakistan side surrendered after nail-biter in front of a huge crowd who were gunning for Pakistan’s victory.
Plunkett returned, having conceded 15 in his first over, to have Mohammad Hafeez poking a leading edge to mid-off – and Rashid yorked Sohaib Maqsood with a googly.
Liam Plunkett starred with the ball for England, taking 3 for 33. He had just been hit for 21 in five balls, the last of them a waist-high full toss. However, Plunkett struck again to remove Malik (26) in the 17th over. Pakistan received a shot in the arm with three sixes from Afridi in the 18th over. Woakes started perfectly getting Sarfraz Ahmed to chop on first ball.
England finished 172-8 setting Pakistan a target of 173 to win.
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Besides, Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid claimed two wickets while Stephen Parry also chipped in with a wicket.
