Pakistan versus England 1st T20I: Pakistan beat England in a high scoring thriller
The Pakistani Cricket Team showed their true colors as they defeated England in the first T20I match played at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on Friday.
England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss and decided to
field first. Pakistan openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan started off
steadily hitting bad balls for boundaries keeping the scoreboard ticking to end
the first six overs at 49.
After settling in both Pakistani openers upped the ante-hitting boundaries and sixes keeping the pressure back on England's team, especially
on Matt Parkinson. It was an amazing batting display as Babar completed fifty
off 35 balls while Rizwan reached his half-century off 34 balls. After reaching
their milestones, both batsmen produced more damage keeping the scoreboard
ticking. England finally ended a superb partnership of 150 runs as Lewis Gregory
dismissed Rizwan who tried to cut but provided a simple catch to Bairstow.
Masqood was dropped by Bairstow off his first ball and went
to the boundary. Masqood cracked two sixes off Tom Curran’s bowling to continue
the momentum for Pakistan. It was an unfortunate dismissal for Masqood as the powerful shot went into the hands of David Willey at the boundary. Babar Azam's
brilliant innings ended via review. The umpire gave it not out and on review, it
was overturned to out as there was an edge.
After the fall of 3 quick wickets, Fakhar Zaman and the experienced
Mohammad Hafeez blasted kept the pressure on England bowlers especially against
Saqib Mahmood and Tom Curran. After being hit for runs, Curran produced a
superb yorker to dismiss Hafeez for a quickfire 24 off 10 balls. Hafeez and Fakhar
added 46 runs for the 4th wicket. Saqib Mahmood got rid of Fakhar
Zaman with good delivery. Azam Khan hit a boundary off his first ball in his debut
match. Imad Wasim was run out of the last ball trying to take the second run. Thanks
to a great opening partnership and cameos by Fakhar and Hafeez, Pakistan posted
their highest total of 232 for 6 in 20 overs.
Chasing 233 runs to win, it was not an ideal start for
England as Dawid Malan was brilliantly caught and bowled by Shaheen Shah
Afridi. Jason Roy looked in decent touch and played with intent putting
pressure on the Pakistani bowlers. Despite that aggressive start, England lost
2 more wickets of Bairstow and Moeen Ali cheaply. Liam Livingstone showed some
intent right from word go and made life tough for the visitors. At the end of
the first six overs, England scored 69 for 3.
Shahdab Khan grabbed the wicket of Jason Roy leaving England
in trouble. Livingstone timed the ball brilliantly hitting boundaries and sixes
at will. On the other hand, Eoin Morgan struggled with his timing. Livingstone
reached his fifty off just 17 balls to give the hosts hopes of winning. A
superb catch by Haris Rauf ended the innings for Morgan. Morgan and Livingstone
added 51 runs for the 5th wicket.
Livingstone continued to dominate the Pakistani bowling
line-up and completed his century off just 42 balls. He was eventually
dismissed for a superb 103. England could not resist pressure and bowled out
for 201 in 19.2 overs. Pakistan won the match by 31 runs to give them a 1-0
lead in 3 match series.
For his brilliant figures of 3 for 30 in 3.2 overs, Shaheen
Shah Afridi was awarded man of the match. With this win, Pakistan takes 1-0
lead in the series. The second T20I will be on 18th July at Headingly,
Leeds.
Pakistan 232 for 6 in 20 overs (Babar Azam 85, Rizwan 63,
Tom Curran 2/47) beat England 201 in 19.2 overs ( Livingstone 103, Roy 32,
Shaheen Shah Afridi 3/30, Shahbad Khan 3/52) by 31 runs.
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