It was a total team effort by England led by stand-in skipper Jos Buttler as the trounced Pakistan, who gave up rather easily and timidly. The 45 runs victory by the hosts in their maiden T20I game at Headingley, Leeds would mean that they head to Old Trafford with renewed energy and a chance to win the series which stands at 1-1.
Chasing a target of 200, Pakistan had a reasonably good start getting to 50 in the sixth over. However, one shot too many by Babar Azam meant that he was caught at short covers by Dawid Malan off the bowling of Saqib Mahmood on the fourth delivery of the last over of the powerplay.
As soon as he was gone, Pakistan seemed to lose the lot as Sohaib Maqsood departed soon after, getting stumped off an Adil Rashid leg spinner which turned just a bit to deceive him.
At 71-2 in the ninth over and with Mohammad Rizwan at the crease, the visitors still fancied a fightback, but it wasn’t to be. They lost their next four wickets in a span of 21 balls and 23 runs, slipping to 105-6 at the end of the 14th over. Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan tried to hit as many runs as possible but it was never going to be a problem for the English side as they eventually beat Pakistan by 45 runs.
Rizwan top-scored with 37 while Shadab remained unbeaten at 36. For the Three Lions, Mahmood took three wickets while both Moeen and Rashid pick two each.
Earlier in the day, it was a bizarre decision by Pakistan to ask England to bat first after winning the toss, given the fact that they won the last game batting first and the wicket was to assist spinners as the day passed. Nevertheless asked to bat, England couldn’t get off to a flier as Roy was removed in the very first over.
Malan went out soon as well and it was then that the onslaught from Moon and Buttlerbegan as the pair added 67 in just 31 balls. While Moeen gout out for a 16 balls 36, Buttler carried on his merry ways joined by Livingstone. The former hit a fifty and got out on 59 from 39 while the latter hit enormous sixes for his 23 ball 38.
Courtesy of these innings the men in Red and Blue Managed to get to 200 even after getting all out in the 20th over. Moeen was adjudged Man of the Match for his all-around efforts.