-England beat Pakistan by 45 runs in 2nd T20I, levelling the series 1-1
From Sardar Shahab
Leeds: On a completely dried up pitch, in a match that was to be played just under the sun and not under artificial lights and with England playing 3 Leg Spinners, Pakistan’s Captain was more than lucky to win the toss to bat first and post a mega total, making Engalnd to struggle in chase as the wicket was set to produce more turn in the 2nd part of the match, Babar Azam took an off the cuff and rather non-Cricketing decision of asking England to bat first, straightaway gifting the game to the hosts.
England have registered comfortable 45-run win against Pakistan in second T20I at Headingley, levelling series at 1-1. Green Shirts managed to score 155/9 while chasing 201. The final match of the series will be played at Manchester on July 20.
Earlier, Jos Buttler’s fifty and cameos by Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali guided England to 200. The hosts were bowled out in 19.5 overs after looking ferocious in the middle-overs.
England started the proceedings with a flourish as Jason Roy (10) smacked six and a four off Imad Wasim’s first over.
The left-arm spinner took his revenge and dismissed Roy as he slowed down the pace of the ball and it went straight up into the hands of Mohammad Hafeez.
Imad in his second over, removed Dawid Malan (1) who tried to sweep but found a top-edge. Azam Khan completed the catch at third-man. The two wickets didn’t hurt England’s intentions as Buttler and Moeen Ali smacked 53 in three overs. Mohammad Hasnain broke the partnership by claiming Moeen’s wicket, who scored a quickfire 36 off 16 balls (6 fours and a six).
Last match centurion Liam Livingstone joined Buttler in the middle. Both added 52 for fourth wicket in 34 deliveries. Buttler reached to his 14th T20I fifty but walked back to pavilion in the 14th over off Hasnain.
Buttler scored 39-ball 59, powered by seven fours and two sixes. Shadab Khan dismissed Jonny Bairstow (13) in the following over while Livingstone (38) was run-out in the 16th.
Tom Curran (9) and Chris Jordan (14) tried to accelerate however the hosts managed to score exact 200 as they were bowled out in 19.5 overs.
For Pakistan, Hasnain bagged three wickets while Imad and Haris Rauf claimed two. Shaheen Shah and Shadab took one each.
Green Shirts started the chase positively with Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam scoring 50 off 33 balls but soon after Babar’s dismissal, no other notable partnerships was formed by the middle-order batters.
Babar (22) was removed by Saqib Mehmood for the third time on this tour. Sohaib Maqsood (15) was the next batter to go as he was stumped by Buttler off Adil Rashid.
