Pakistan handed England a big defeat in the second T20I at National Stadium in Karachi on Thursday (September 22).
Pakistani openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan chased down the humongous score of 200 runs with three balls remaining to square off the series.
The Pakistani openers set the highest ever opening stand for Pakistan in T20Is, leading the English bowlers to crawl after destructive batting by Azam.
The Pakistani captain brought all the questions on his run-drought to a rest to score his second T20I century. His innings (110* off 66, 11 fours and 5 sixes) with support from his opening partner (88* off 51, 5 fours and 4 sixes) gave the team a much-needed stand in the second innings.
EARLY ENGLISH TOP ORDER FALL
England won the toss and elected to bat first on a pitch perfect for batsmen to dominate. The English openers gave a good start to the team, however, lost their top order just before the end of the powerplay.
Even though the first two wickets fell in quick succession it didn't impact England's run-rate.
MOEEN STEPPING ON THE 5TH GEAR
Ben Duckett and Harry Brook had a small partnership until captain Moeen Ali came in. Ali came all guns blazing in the ending overs of the innings; playing a quick innings of 55 off 23, smashing 4 fours and 4 sixes at a phenomenal strike rate of 239.
As Moeen completed the innings with two sixes to get his sixth T20I fifty, Hasnain was the most expensive of the group, costing 51 runs, including 19 in the final over.
BABAR-RIZWAN DEMOLISHING ENGLAND
After the huge target was set, Pakistani openers knew that Lahore's pitch will become better to bat on in the second innings. The openers put on a fifty-run stand within the powerplay to set the tone. England wicketkeeper Phil Salt missed a stumping of Mohammad Rizwan to give him a lifeline to score his 18th T20I half-century.
After Rizwan and within a span of 7-8 balls, Azam also hit his half-century. Both the openers put the foot on the gas and started dealing in sixes. Within the next 22 balls played by Azam, he reached his second T20I century.
HARD DAY OUT FOR ENGLAND BOWLERS
Luke Wood ended up with 49 as England quicks were hammered for 122 after choosing a seam attack of three left-armers. Luke Wood found his second England game to be much harder than his first.
After two games, David Willey was indeed giving up runs at a rate of more than 12 per over, and England lacked genuine speed to blow their way through when necessary.
