That’s it from me! Time for cold flannel. They’ll be back again at Headingley on Sunday. Good night!
The player of the match is Shaheen Shah Afridi. He says that They were targeting the yorkers and trying to keep the variations going because it was very difficult to bowl in these conditions.
Babar Azam is being roared by the Pakistan supporters and can’t hear the interview questions! Babar says they got off to a good start, he adapts to this format by adapting his mindset. Praises his bowlers, says they learnt from their mistakes, and the fielding was better today too.
Has Liam Livingstone booked himself a place in England’s World Cup squad? It was a punch-drunk display of power hitting that Pakistan struggled to contain and he loved every minute. The other newbies found the IT20 more of a step up, Saqib, Parkinson and Gregory all got biffed by Babar and the rest.
Pakistan were measured with the ball, Shaheen was glorious with moments of bathos and finished with 3-30, Shadab Khan 3-52 and the excellent Mohammad Hasnain bowled his four overs for 28.
Pakistan win by 31 runs!
What an incredible evening! Deservedly won by Pakistan who kept their nerve and took it at a canter in the end. Brilliant from Babar, sensational from Livingstone, smart bowling, clever tactics, roll on Sunday!
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WICKET! Parkinson b Shaheen 0
Leg stump bingo!
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19th over: England 201-9 (Mahmood 0 , Parkinson 0) A wide to start from Rauf, then he pulls out of his run up. It’s dark and crazy out there. And that’s clever from Willey who reverse-ramps for four. Then Haris foxes him with a slower ball, before the wicket. Mahmood and Parky need to score 32 from 6 balls.
WICKET! Willey c Shadab b Rauf 16 (England 201-9)
Amazing grab at long on! In walks Parky with T20 best of 7 not out, against Derbyshire in 2017.
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18th over: England 196-8 (Mahmood 0 , Willey 12) Willey ramps a smart four, but that’s the only boundary and the finishing line takes a step over the horizon.
England need 37 from 12 balls
WICKET! Tom Curran run-out 1(England 191-8)
A high full toss, they scramble a single and Curran falls short of an excellent throw from Shadab Khan
Umpire's review...
run out?
17th over: England 189-7 (T Curran 0, Willey 6) With a rocket over long-on, Livingstone makes the fastest IT20 Hundred for England off just 42 balls! But he can’t quite finish it off, perishing in an almost identical way to Gregory. Willey goes for broke, cracheting a one-kneed six from his second ball.
44 needed from 18 balls.
WICKET! Livingstone c Shaheen b Shadab 103 (England 183-7)
Calm as anything, Shaheen gathers in almost the same place. What an innings!
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WICKET! Gregory c Shaheen b Shadab 10 (England 177-6)
Gregory goes for the big one but Shaheen takes the catch inches from the boundary.
16th over: England 171-5 (Gregory 9; Livingstone 88) At the same stage Pakistan were 161-1. Livingstone swings and gets a top edge for four. This isn’t hit and tickle - its smash and thump. A fabulous stop cuts off the boundary. Livingstone is having a ball out there, but he looks knackered. And WOW! Livingstone goes to 97 with a huge straight six as Haris Rauf misses his yorker.
56 needed off 24 balls.
15th over: England 161-5 (Gregory 9; Livingstone 82) Shaheen is back and Livingstone swings at a wide full toss and misses. He doesn’t miss the next one which he log-chops into the crowd for six. A third full toss, at 90mph, brings a single. Gregory swings and misses at another. Gregory throws himself at another and the ball drops just short of a hesitant Maqsood .
72 needed from 30.
14th over: England 152-5 (Gregory 8; Livingstone 74) England have slowed and Hasnain is on target. A mix-up, overthrow, but Livingstone is safe. Finally a boundary, as Livingstone throws the bat and the ball rockets through midwicket and past the diving fielder. 81 needed off 36 balls.
13th over: England 142-5 (Gregory 5; Livingstone 68) Pakistan’s fielders are decorating the rope. Shadab must take the ball with some trepidation, but England can’t reach the boundaries. There’s even a dot ball, a wide one, before a proper wide is called. Much better fielding and catching by Pakistan today.
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12th over: England 134-5 (Gregory 0; Livingstone 66) Morgan throws himself at Imad Wasim and it sails into the setting sun and over the boundary. It does’t work second time, which brings in ODI hero Lewis Gregory. Ah, sweet contrast, he plays his first ball back defensively.
WICKET! Morgan c Rauf b Imad 18 England 133-5
Whacked with pin point accuracy to Rauf in the deep who doesn’t have to move a toe. He’s pumped to catch it, pressure on. And the pendulum swings again.
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11th over: England 125-4 (Morgan 9; Livingstone 64) Babar plumps for Haris Rauf. And the fielders, and the OBOer get a breather, with a fistful of singles and a leg bye.
NOT OUT!
Not close, hits the front pad but would have waved a merry goodbye to the stumps on its way past.
Pakistan REVIEW...
Optimistic...
10th over: England 120-4 (Morgan 5; Livingstone 63) Imad’s greeting is a fat slap over cover, before Pakistan get a small breather with the single-searching Morgan. At the same stage Pakistan were 80-0. Stick that in your super computer.
9th over: England 110-4 (Morgan 2; Livingstone 57) One fears for Shadab. Livingstone stands like a statue, feet in plaster, and punches the ball straight down for six. Astonishing! Then a four brings the fastest IT20 fifty for England, off just 17 balls. Then a flat-pancacked six over long off. The impossible is suddenly looking likely!
8th over: England 92-4 (Morgan 1; Livingstone 40) Livingstone goes again, a four into the offside from Hasnain, another through the covers is well cut off by the fielder. The miserly Morgan plays out two dots then steals the strike.
7th over: England 83-4 (Morgan 0; Livingstone 33) Livingstone is in the zone. Vicious, visceral, hitting. Shadab ponders, then sends down two long hops that are both smacked into the stands, before a furious Roy gets an outside edge. Will Morgan bring a clear head or just keep sailing the boat through choppy waters? See how much harder England are going:
#ENGvPAK Pakistan’s fourth six came in the 15th over. England’s fourth six came in the fourth over @tjaldred
— Tim de Lisle (@TimdeLisle) July 16, 2021
WICKET! Roy c Babar b Shadab 32 (England 82-4)
A leading edge straight to Babar! Can England get the runs before the wickets run out?
6th over: England 69-3 (Roy 32; Livingstone 19) Livingstone gets an outside edge, his head looking one way, the ball flying the other, high, soaring, to Mohammad Haznain who leaps but can’t hold on. A four to square leg follows, then a huge SIX, hit with a boxer’s jab. At the end of the power play England are going at 11.66 an over. On target.
5th over: England 50-3 (Roy 31; Livingstone 1) Hasnain bowls two dots at Moeen - is that pressure enough? and Moeen can’t resist the third. Dommage. Hope he gets another go up the order. Just two off the over.
WICKET! Moeen c Rauf b Hasnain 1 (England 48-3)
Moeen pulls Hasnain - it’s high but not long and Hasnain dives to gather, then soars into the arms of Maqsood, but doesn’t drop the ball!
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4th over: England 48-2 (Roy 30; Moeen Ali 1) Eventful. Baristow, high backlift, delivers Shaheen high into the stands, before flaying at the wrong ball. Enter Moeen. Roy then smashes a wide-one from the Marmite Shaheen for four.
WICKET! Bairstow c Imad b Shaheen 11 (England 42 -2)
Jonny’s done by the pace and top-edges behind square!
3rd over: England 36-1 (Roy 25; Bairstow 5) Imad Wasim presents an orange on a china plate, Roy licks his lips and sends him right down the ground, roly-poly over the sightscreen. And another! And a third! High into the crowd on the off-side.
2nd over: England 16-1 (Roy 6; Bairstow 4) Shaheen Afridi’s first ball is fired wide and misses batsman, keeper, the works ,before crossing the boundary for five wides. An lbw appeal , but missing leg, Then the wicket at 92mph before Rizwan pleads for a caught behind. Bairstow shakes his head with bemusement, Babar says no, and sure enough, there’s not sign of an edge. Bairstow then pulls him behind square for a wrist-rolling four.
WICKET c and b Shaheen 1 (England 12-1)
A sensational catch by Shaheen, diving and scooping the ball from the floor before finishing up crossed leg in a yoga position. The star man celebration!
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1st over: England 7-0 (Roy 6; Malan 1) The headbanded Imad Wasim starts the fightback A top-edge by Roy off the last ball reaches the boundary and that’s a fair start.
Not out!
The tv pictures clearly show the ball bouncing.
REVIEW!
Shaheen Afridi wants to know if the ball touched the ground before he swallowed it at mid-off
Blimey they’re out already and I haven’t finished my hula-hoops. Roy and Malan attempt to out Pakistan Pakistan - in a good way.
20th over: Pakistan 232-6 ( Azam Khan 5) Comedy on calamity! The very comfortably upholstered Azam Khan drills his first ball in international cricket through the covers for four! A wide by Saqib, then a very hard dropped chance falls through Moeen’s hands, before the final run out. Phew!
The third highest score England have ever conceded in a T20! This will be some chase . Time to grab a quick drink, back shortly.
WICKET! Imad run out 2 (Pakistan 232-6)
Run out pushing for a second off the last ball of the innings!
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WICKET! Fakhar c Roy b Mahmood 26 (Pakistan 221-5)
High into the heavens and captured at long-on by Jason Roy
19th over: Pakistan 221-4 ( Fakhar 26) Hafeez smells a a full toss and ping-pongs it over the square leg rope . Another full toss disappears straight down the ground. What did the Pakistan batters have for lunch?! Curran wipes his forehead with his foream an Hafeez pings him square for four, the lime green of the shirt lumious in the sun. Then, at last, the ball Curran was looking for!
WICKET! Hafeez b T Curran 24 (Pakistan 221-4)
At last the ball comes out right! A leg-stump yorker to die for. Hafeez strolls off happy - 24 off ten.
18th over: Pakistan 205-3 (Hafeez 8, Fakhar 26) Fakhar eyes up an attempted yorker by the returning Saqib Mahmood and pings him high and strong over long-on for six. Then again over backward square with the kitchen sink and a top edge high for another!. Twenty-four from the over. A learning opportunity says Jimmy Anderson on the radio.
Why no Moeen?
17th over: Pakistan 183-3 (Hafeez 7, Fakhar 5) Super over from Willey: the wicket, then miserly, till the last ball, a short one which Hafeez grabs and pulls up and over for six. All hail the 41 year old Hafeez!
WICKET! Babar c Bairstow by Willey 85 (49) (Pakistan 175-3)
Babar leans back and chops at Willey. A HUGE wicket but an awesome innings.
England review...
Babar looks as if he has nudged an outside edge but the umpire doesn’t fancy it...
16th over: Pakistan 173-2 (Babar Azam 83, Fakhar 4) Maqsood was the leading six hitter in the PSL and he sends Tom Curran’s first two balls for consecutive big un’s - midwicket; long off. That won’t make Jonny’s finger feel any better. Then he goes one too many at a Tom Curran slower ball. Fakhar Zaman is the next man in and first ball he fences cleverly at a slower ball and sends it easing past a non-existent Third Man. Runs a go-go.
WICKET! Maqsood c Willey b T Curran 19 (Pakistan 169-2)
Creams a pull straight into the hands of Willey at deep midwicket
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15th over: Pakistan 155-1 (Babar Azam 83, Maqsood 5)Eventful. Babar has a look at Gregory running in and decides to send him up to the top tier of the wedding cake. Brutal. Then Rizwan drills a low full toss for four, followed by that conference between Willey Morgan and Gregory, and then the wicket.
Then a DROP! Bairstow looks as if he hurt his finger, snatching at the ball, and to rub salt in the wound, the ball flies down for four. Bairstow clutches his hand in his glove - that looks painful.
WICKET! Rizwan c Bairstow by Gregory 63 (Pakistan 150-1)
Rizwan gives himself room to upper-cut and is well caught by a diving Bairstow. I’m not sure what Willey said to the flustered Gregory but it worked!
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14th over: Pakistan 139-0 (Babar Azam 76, Mohammad Rizwan 59) Rizwan picks up Parky from outside off stump and sweeps him. Simply gorgeous. Then Babar eyes him up - sends him soaring for six over long on, then through the covers for four. Carnage. Parky 4-47.
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13th over: Pakistan 120-0 (Babar Azam 62, Mohammad Rizwan 54) Can Willey step the flow with his left arm pace-off? Rizwan reaches his fifty with a pull - it was more mind over matter in the early stages than Babar Azam’s pure essence but now he feels ready to go. Ten from the over.
12th over: Pakistan 111-0 (Babar Azam 62, Mohammad Rizwan 46) Parky takes a thrashing! A slog-sweep for six by Babar, then it is Rizwan’s turn - harder, faster, way over midwicket. The ecstatic crowd genuflect.
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11th over: Pakistan 93-0 (Babar Azam 51, Mohammad Rizwan 39) There’s loads of Pakistan fans in tonight and they adore a delicate late cut played with by Rizwan with the air of man dusting the family silver.
Babar completes a 35 ball fifty - 7 fours - with a tightly-turned two before Lewis Gregory mis-dives on the rope at long-off to bring up a four for Rizwan. Livingstone 2-24.
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10th over: Pakistan 80-0 (Babar Azam 47, Mohammad Rizwan 30) Parkinson again, fizzing through his over. A sensational stop by Willey-Livingstone stops a boundary. Parky draws Rizwan in and Rizwan tries to dance around him.
9th over: Pakistan 75-0 (Babar Azam 43, Mohammad Rizwan 29) Lancashire from both ends, as Livingstone, bleached Phil Foden style, turns his arm over. He’s parsimonious till the last two balls which Rizwan sweeps over fine leg and slog-swept over fine mid-on.
@tjaldred Thank goodness Pakistan seem to be making a better showing of it in this format. #ENGvPAK
— 🌈Ravi Nair #FBPE #PerfectPorkPie #FBPPR (@palfreyman1414) July 16, 2021
Hear hear!
8th over: Pakistan 64-0 (Babar Azam 40, Mohammad Rizwan 21) Aha! Time for Matt Parkinson, the man who carried the drinks last winter is getting a chance with the big boys. One thing Parkinson doesn’t lack is confidence in his own ability, and sure enough he loops the ball up. Six singles from it, good work!
7th over: Pakistan 58-0 (Babar Azam 37, Mohammad Rizwan 18) Time for a bit of Lewis Gregory. His first two balls are miserly but Babar pulls his third viciously behind square for four. Babar’s sometime-criticised T20 run-rate is hot to trot tonight.
Andrew Benton is star struck: “A message from Zain Malik? Could that be *the* Zain Malik, once of One Direction? Wow. And totally agree about Moeen Ali, he’s great, very versatile, but gets pushed about a bit, delighted he’s back.”
6th over: Pakistan 49-0 (Babar Azam 32, Mohammad Rizwan 14) Another leading edge flies wide of gully for an exhilarating four. They take a quick single - the running tonight has been haphazard but - so far -surprisingly effective. At the end of the power play the run rate is 8.17.
5th over: Pakistan 43-0 (Babar Azam 27, Mohammad Rizwan 13) Back to Saqib Mahmood, all neatly clipped beard and long-legs, they pluck singles and Rizwan survives a 89mph yorker before Babar gets an inside edge to fine leg for a slightly flukey four.
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4th over: Pakistan 33-0 (Babar Azam 20, Mohammad Rizwan 11) Time for Tom Curran in shaggy hair and black headband mode. A beauty first ball beats Rizwan’s outside edge. Then Rizwan top-edges onto his helmet and has to undergo a quick concussion test. Undeterred he kneels next ball and this time the top-edge reaches the boundary.
3rd over: Pakistan 26-0 (Babar Azam 18, Mohammad Rizwan 6) We get a glimpse of Jonny Bairstow’s neck, my motherly instinct wants to send 12th man on with some zinc cream. Pakistan take a quick single and Willey shies - would have been out if it had hit. Then, ooh la la, Babar drives through the off-side for four, another four through long-on, then he rolls his wrists and another is flicked away. The timing is pure. Willey pleads for an lbw last ball but it always had a hint of desperation. Probably worth the gamble against Babar.
NOT OUT!
Going down leg.
England review!
The umpires wasn’t interested, but Willey pleads. Eoin Morgan is convinced but it doesn’t look out...
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2nd over: Pakistan 11-0 (Babar Azam 6, Mohammad Rizwan 5) Saqib comes to collect his bunny but Babar is at the non-striker’s end. Rizwan is beaten by his first ball, then throws the bat at his second and flays him through the covers. Babar must face the second half of the over, and the first is fat and wide, he turns the second off his hip.
1st over: Pakistan 5-0 (Babar Azam 1, Mohammad Rizwan 4) Trent Bridge are in full voice as Willey starts his casual trot to the shops run-up. Beats Rizwan outside the off stump with his second ball. Babar fences at a short one that falls just short/out of the fingers of Dawid Malan as he falls to the ground. And then an inswinging yorker flies riskily away for a boundary.
The players are out on the pitch for the moment of unity, then they walk out past the flame shooters. England are back in red and royal blue; Pakistan in the classic lime and moss. David Willey has the ball.
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“After this series the next time Pakistan might face England could be in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup. This is exciting,” taps Zain Malik.
“Now Babar and Rizwan up top, this should be an interesting combination. I would have fancied Sharjeel Khan to pair with Bobby. Strike rate is going to be an issue. The first five overs will speak volumes about Pakistan’s preparation for this fall’s WC. Anything below 190 will be a walk in the park for Morgan’s boys
“I know many who have been questioning Azam Khan’s inclusion as nepotism. This could be his chance to silence his critics. But with an average below 20 in his last ten outings, expectations are running low. Number 6 has become a curse for the Pakistanis. Will Azam be able to take on the pressure?”
So pleased to see Moeen Ali at No. 5. He has previously talked about how good it was in the IPL to feel his captain had confidence in him. Is this a reaction to that?
Updated
22 year old Azam Khan makes his debut for Pakistan. He’s a big boy, son of former Pakistan wicketkeeper Moin Khan, in the words of Mike Atherton on Sky: “ nothing like his old man.”
England have only got five T20 games left before the World Cup. How has that happened so quickly?
Pakistan XI
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Sohaib Maqsood, Mohammad Hafeez, Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain.
England XI
England: Roy, Malan, Bairstow, Livingstone, Ali, Morgan, Gregory, T Curran, Willey, Mahmood, Parkinson.
Eoin Morgan says the last week or so has been a whirlwind and for the players to play in the fashion that they did was fantastic to see. At a time with the world cup round the corner it is time to give opportunities, it is the hardest format to be consistent in.
England win the toss and will bowl!
Adil Rashid is rested, Matt Parkinson comes in.
Trent Bridge is famously kind to batters - fifth in the list of run-friendly grounds for T20 cricket over the last five years.
At Trent Bridge, it is cracking the flags.
It is a really hot day! ☀️ #ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/L1kkjQ01nG
— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial) July 16, 2021
Eoin Morgan is not a fan of giving sympathy caps, but he says he’s up for a bit of experimentation this time around.
“Knowing what is ahead, we need to look a little bit more into strength in depth. You’ll see us giving opportunities and going through various little options in the next three games for possible injury replacements for certain players.
“The priority will be to give guys opportunities and we’ll be treating it as though it is our last chance to look at guys in various positions.”
Hello! It’s Friday evening and we climb back on the white-ball merry-go-round, this time with a different England squad and a shorter format. Yes, the big boys are (mostly) back despite England mark three having a fine old time thrashing Pakistan in the one-dayers.
Four of the hastily-thrown together England squad make it through from those games: Saqib Mahmood, man of the series who dismissed Babar Azam early at Cardiff and Lord’s, Matt Parkinson, purveyor of occasional balls of distinction, Lewis Gregory, who impressed with both bat and ball, and Dawid Malan - the world’s no. 1 ranked T20 batter (Babar is second).
Pakistan had their moments of brilliance despite the whitewash, but their fielding and catching will need a transformation for them to have a chance against the No.1 ranked T20 side in the world. Pakistan are currently fourth, tucked between New Zealand and Australia.
Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, Mark Wood and Chris Woakes are rested in anticipation of the Test series, while Hasan Ali will miss the first match as a precautionary measure due to a strain in his left leg.
England squad: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex - captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Tom Curran (Surrey), Lewis Gregory (Somerset), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Matt Parkinson (Lancashire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), David Willey (Yorkshire)
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Arshad Iqbal, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sharjeel Khan and Usman Qadir.
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