Birmingham, May 25, 2024, The Europe Today: England secured a 23-run victory over Pakistan in the second T20I of the four-match series at Edgbaston Stadium on Saturday, bolstering their record with their eighth win in the last 11 T20Is against Pakistan.
Chasing a target of 184, Pakistan’s batting lineup was bowled out for 160. Fakhar Zaman led Pakistan’s efforts with a quickfire 45 off 21 balls, featuring three fours and five sixes. Captain Babar Azam contributed 32 runs off 26 balls, making him the second-highest scorer for his team.
Lower-order contributions from Iftikhar Ahmed (23 off 17) and Imad Wasim (22 off 13) were not enough to steer Pakistan to victory. England’s bowling attack was spearheaded by Reece Topley, who claimed three wickets, while Moeen Ali and Jofra Archer took two each. Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, and Liam Livingstone each picked up a wicket.
Earlier, England captain Jos Buttler delivered a stellar performance, scoring 84 runs off 51 balls, including eight fours and three sixes. His innings also saw him surpass the 3,000-run milestone in T20I cricket, becoming only the ninth player to achieve this feat in the format.
Despite an early setback with Phil Salt’s dismissal by Imad Wasim in the fourth over, England recovered through a 71-run partnership between Buttler and Will Jacks. Jacks contributed 37 runs off 23 balls with six boundaries, while Jonny Bairstow added 21 runs.
Pakistan’s bowlers, particularly Haris Rauf, Imad Wasim, and Shaheen Afridi, staged an impressive comeback, preventing England from reaching an even higher total. Shaheen took three wickets, with Imad and Rauf each claiming two.
Jofra Archer’s 12-run final over helped England post a competitive total of 183/7 in their allotted overs.
The series now stands with England in a favorable position, as both teams look ahead to the remaining matches.
