BIRMINGHAM : A fine half-century from skipper Jos Buttler and fine spells from pacers Reece Topley and comeback man Jofra Archer powered England to a 23-run win over Pakistan in the second T20I at Birmingham on Saturday.
With this win, England take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. The first game was washed out by rain.
Put to batting first by Pakistan, England lost the in-form opener Phil Salt for just 13 to Pakistan’s returning all-rounder Imad Wasim, with Shaheen Afridi taking a fine catch at long-on. (25/1).
Following this, the power-packed duo of Will Jacks and Buttler took the innings forward, unleashing a barrage of fours and sixes against Pakistan bowling. At the end of the powerplay, England was 53/1 in six overs.
Buttler and Jacks continued the carnage, bringing England to 96/1 after 10 overs. The 71-run partnership between Buttler and Jacks ended with Jacks being caught by Shadab Khan for 37 in 23 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes. England was 96/2 in 10.1 overs.
England reached the 100-run mark in 11.5 overs.
Following this, another promising partnership took place between Jonny Bairstow and Buttler, which was cut short at 48 runs after Shaheen removed Bairstow for 21 in 18 balls, with a four and two sixes. England was 144/3 in 15 overs.
After this, England could not really get those big hits that much as wickets kept falling. Buttler was dismissed for 84 in 51 balls, with eight fours and three sixes as the fifth man to go by Haris. Pakistan made a solid comeback to restrict England to 183/7 in their 20 overs.
Shaheen Shah Afridi (3/36) and Haris Rauf (2/34) shined with the ball for Pakistan.
In the run-chase, Pakistan lost openers Mohammed Rizwan and Saim Ayub early, reduced to 14/2. Leaving aside a 53-run partnership between skipper Babar Azam (32 in 26 balls, with four boundaries) and Fakhar Zaman (45 in 21 balls, with five fours and three sixes) and a 40-run stand between Iftikhar Ahmed (23 in 17 balls, with four and two sixes) and Imad Wasim (22 in 13 balls, with two fours and a six), Pakistan just could not keep going and were bundled out for 160 runs in 19.2 overs.
Topley (3/41) and Archer (2/28) were the top bowlers for England. Moeen Ali also got two wickets.
Buttler secured the Player of the Match title. (ANI)