Pakistan leveled the Series 1-1 after clinching a thrilling 5-run victory over England in the third T20I at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on Tuesday.
Pakistan was sent out to bat after England won the toss, and Mohammad Hafeez‘s undefeated 86 and debutant Haider Ali’s 54 were led to the brilliant 190/4. While Pakistan got off to a great start with the ball, breaking the top order quickly, their chances of winning decreased after Moeen Ali took the bowlers and scored a brave 61. But Wahab Riaz (2/26) made a twist in the storey in the penultimate over, where he was responsible for two wickets and only conceded three runs when England required 20 runs out of 12 balls. At the end of the 20 overs, England was eventually limited to 185/8.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
ENG Opt To Bowl First:
England won the toss and elect to bowl.
Haider Ali, 19, Makes His Debut:
Awesome to see Haider Ali make his debut today. He’s a very exciting player, man. Let’s hope this is the start of a long run on the Pakistan team-the T20 is an unpredictable format and the batsmen need to be patient.
Babar, Fakhar Open For PAK:
Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman are out on the pitch and have started Pakistan’s innings. Saqib Mahmood is going to open the attack.
Slow Start By The Visitors:
Saqib is starting well as keeping Babar in check for the first two balls. Babar (1 *) hits the third ball with a fast single. Just the two of them sprint from the over. Slow start, but can they make a hay while the sun is shining?
WICKET!
WHAT A START! Moeen Ali opens his account for the match with his first ball of innings and Fakhar Zaman’s bowls. The batsman is leaving for 1. Come on, 19-year-old Haider Ali. PAK is 2/1 after 1.1 overs.
Ali Moves To 30 Off 13 Balls:
Well, not everyone can have as good a start as Moeen Ali does? Lewis Gregory joins the attack, and Haider Ali sends his first delivery to the stands over a deep square leg. The 19-year-old debutant doesn’t play like one. The PAK is 66/2 after 8 overs.
DROPPED!
Oh, Dear! Sam Billings miscalculated Haider ‘s shot and breathed an extra life into Pakistan ‘s strike. From Gregory ‘s delivery, Haider tried to slog it and, luckily, he got four runs. Haider is 44 * out of 23 bats. PAK is 84/2 after 10 overs.
Hafeez Hits Big!
Although all eyes were on Haider for his incoming fifty, Hafeez stole the limelight with a gorgeous hit! He removes the shackles when he sends Rashid over the ropes. He attaches another one to the next ball! PAK is 100/2 after 11 overs.
FIFTY!
His first career match, and he scored a half-century in England. Take your bow, Haider Ali! The teenager struck Gregory on the last ball of the over for a sublime four and crossed the target on 28 balls. Five fours and two sixes. PAK is 108/2 after 12 overs. Most runs on T20I debut for Pakistan!
Hafeez Hits 13th T20I Fifty!
Having punished Curran with a maximum in the previous round, Hafeez (50 *) is now beginning his rage at Rashid again with another six — his fourth in the afternoon. He hits his 13th T20I fifty with a four! PAK is 130/2 after 14 overs.
BOWLED!
BREAK THROUGH! Jordan is back in the attack, making Eoin Morgan a very happy guy! Haider Ali was unable to control his full-length delivery, and he was clean bowled. The teenager is leaving for 54. PAK is 132/3 after 14.3 overs.
An Eventful Over:
After a reasonably tentative overrun, with just 11 runs facing Saqib, Pakistan is back on the ante again. Hafeez (80 *) pulls out the big guns again as he sends one over the ropes facing Jordan, but the tides quickly turn as Shadad (15) is sent back to the Jordan Pavilion. It’s a brilliant grab by Curran. On comes Imad Wasim, and he’s going to finish the over on 4 *. PAK is 181/4 after 19 overs.
ENG Need 191 To Win:
Saqib Mahmood ‘s brilliance brings the proceedings to a close as he helps Pakistan to get just nine runs away, stopping the destructive Mohammad Hafeez in his tracks. He put an end to the innings of the unbeaten 86 and helped Pakistan reach 190/4 at the end of the 20 overs. Kudos to the brilliant Haider Ali, who scored a spectacular 54 on his debut. England needs 191 runs to score.
WICKET!
Shaheen Afridi gives the viewers a brilliant start as he bowls over the devastating Bairstow on the fourth ball of the innings. The batsman is going for a duck. Dawid Malan is coming to partner Tom Banton. ENG is 1/1 after 0.4 overs.
FOUR! FOUR! FOUR!
Banton continues with his fine form in this series as he hits Wasim for three and four in the second over — an extra cover, a third man and a backwards point. England is going to try to build some momentum with Banton and Malan. ENG is 15/1 after 2 overs.
CAUGHT OUT!
BREAKTHROUGH! After conceding two borders to Banton (20 *) and Malan (7), Wasim gets the wicket of the latter as Malan’s shot lands safely in the hands of Fakhar. The explosive captain, Eoin Morgan, is coming. ENG is 27/2 after 4 overs.
Banton On Fire:
Banton is running out here for fifty as he punishes Pakistan’s left, right, and middle bowlers. He’s going to take Haris Rauf, and he’s going to hammer him for three fours, one for no-ball, too. 16 is running out of the over. The ENG is 43/2 after 5 overs.
RUN OUT!
RUN OUT, man! Just when Morgan (10) started to relax after hitting Shadab with a huge high, he was sent back to the pavilion. The captain tried to locate a single one, but with the aid of Sarfaraz, Babar created a mix-up. ENG is 65/3 after 7 overs.
WICKET!
The tide is turning to Pakistan! After Bairstow, Malan, Morgan, time is over for Banton (46) as well. Haris Rauf trapped the batsman completely between the wickets, and with the aid of the analysis, what little doubt remained completely dissipated. Plumb, exactly as you want it. Pakistan at the end. The blame for the chase shifts to Billings and Ali’s shoulders. ENG is 69/4 after 8 overs.
England Cross 100-Run Mark:
England is struggling to find their way back, and Billings is finally getting the first major hit of his career. With the aid of some clever running between the wickets and the Moeen Ali boundary of Shadab, England has reached 100. ENG is 104/4 after 12 overs.
Moeen Finds Form:
England is going big right now, way high. Moeen Ali (27 *) is in song as he hits Shahen for four, and then a huge maximum that clears the long straight boundary. Sam Billings is on the 26th *. The ENG is 125/4 after 14 overs.
WICKET!
RIAZ is having it! Veteran pacer splits the partnership by extracting Billings (26) from the crease. Billings lost his form when slogging, and Imad Wasim caught the ball. It could prove to be a critical wicket. ENG is 129/5 after 15 overs.
SIX! SIX! SIX!
Moeen Ali pulls out his big guns again, as he hammers Shadab Khan a long way over the ropes. He ‘s making it two in two, and then another, and it’s a great exultation in the English camp. With a single, he moves out of 25 balls to 49. A single-handed spinner lowers the required run-rate. 44 of the 24 balls required. ENG is 149/5 after 16 overs.
ENG Edging Closer, PAK Inching For A Fightback:
After hitting his third T20I fifty, Moeen (60 *) handed the key to Gregory, who had struck two important fours at the end of the 17th. Soon after that, Ali took over the reins again and began his attack on Shaheen as he reached the top four on the very first ball of the over … And, of course, another! But Pakistan is hitting back as they claim the wicket of Gregory (12)—clean bowled by the Shaheen. Tight finish is on the cards right here. Twenty runs out of 12 bats. ENG is 171/6 after 18 overs.
PAKISTAN WIN BY FIVE RUNS!
After Haris Rauf reduced the tailenders to singles and twos, Curran hit him in the penultimate ball for six. But after a dot ball to finish the innings, England ended up in 185/8 … This is very shocking, because only two overs were back, the hosts were in a prime position to seal the series with their second victory. From the need for just 20 runs out of 12 balls, England has now lost the five-run match. What a bowling of Riaz, what a beating of Hafeez and Haider, and also of Moeen Ali! What a perfect cricket game!
