Jago Times "English Edition" Best Online Newspaper
CARDIFF: England captain Eoin Morgan led his side to a seven-wicket win over Pakistan in a lone Twenty20 international in Cardiff on Sunday with an unbeaten innings of 57.
Test skipper Joe Root made 47 and James Vince 36 as England overhauled Pakistan´s total of 173 for six with four balls to spare at Sophia Gardens.
This was England´s second victory in three days after their one-day international success away to Morgan´s native Ireland in Dublin on Friday as they continued an encouraging start to a season that sees them staging both the 50-over World Cup and the Ashes.
England fast bowler Jofra Archer also continued his push for a World Cup call-up by taking two for 29 in Pakistan´s innings.
The recalled Ben Duckett fell early in England´s chase, driving Shaheen Afridi to mid-off, but Vince and Root kept England up with the run-rate thanks to a series of sparkling shots.
Vince was caught down the legside by Pakistan captain and wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed off Imad Wasim but Morgan kept the runs coming, taking 14 off three successive balls from medium-pacer Faheem Ashraf.
And even when Sarfraz caught Root, there was little danger to England´s hopes of victory with Morgan hitting five fours and three sixes in his 29-ball stay.
There was a bizarre incident at the start of Pakistan´s third over when the ground made way beneath David Willey as the England seamer was just about to make his delivery stride.
Fortunately for England, Willey avoided serious injury.
Babar Azam (65) and Haris Sohail (50) shared a stand of 103 after Pakistan had been 31 for two following Sarfraz´s decision to bat first on a green-tinged pitch.
Haris hit Chris Jordan for six before Babar struck successive sixes off spinner Joe Denly to complete a 31-ball fifty.
Pakistan then saw both their well-set batsmen fall in quick succession with Barbados-born Archer, renowned for his form in T20 franchise cricket, removing Haris before he ran out Babar.
England and Pakistan will now play a five-match ODI series starting at The Oval on Wednesday.
End of live coverage
Faheen Ashraf to Morgan, Six (England win)
Faheen Ashraf to Morgan, 2 runs (Morgan reaches 50)
End of over 19: England: 167/3
Shaheen Afridi to Denly, no run
Shaheen Afridi to Morgan, 1 run
Shaheen Afridi to Denly, 1 run
Shaheen Afridi to Morgan, 1 run
Shaheen Afridi to Denly, 1 run
Shaheen Afridi to Denly, Six
End of over 18: England: 157/3
Hasan Ali to Denly, 1 run
Hasan Ali to Denly, Four
Hasan Ali to Morgan, 1 run
Hasan Ali to Denly, 1 run
Hasan Ali to Morgan, 1 run
Hasan Ali to Morgan, Four
End of over 17: England: 145/3
Shaheen Afridi to Denly, Four
Shaheen Afridi to Denly, no run
Shaheen Afridi to Denly, no run
Shaheen Afridi to Morgan, 1 run
Shaheen Afridi to Morgan, 1 run
Shaheen Afridi to Denly, 1 run
Shaheen Afridi to Morgan, 1 run
End of over 16: England: 137/2
Hasan Ali to Morgan, Four
Hasan Ali to Denly, 1 run
Hasan Ali to Root, out
Hasan Ali to Morgan, 1 run
Hasan Ali to Root, six
Hasan Ali to Root, 1 run
End of over 15: England: 122/2
Faheem Ashraf to Joe Root, 1 run
Faheem Ashraf to Eoin Morgan, 1 run
Faheem Ashraf to Joe Root, 1 run
Faheem Ashraf to Eoin Morgan, 1 run
Faheem Ashraf to Joe Root, 1 run
Faheem Ashraf to Joe Root, FOUR
End of over 14: England: 113/2
Hasan Ali to Joe Root, 1 run
Hasan Ali to Joe Root, FOUR
Hasan Ali to Eoin Morgan, 1 run
Hasan Ali to Eoin Morgan, no run
Hasan Ali to Joe Root, 1 run
Hasan Ali to Eoin Morgan, 1 run
End of over 13: England: 105/2
Mohammad Hasnain to Joe Root, FOUR
Mohammad Hasnain to Joe Root, no run
Mohammad Hasnain to Joe Root, no run
Mohammad Hasnain to Joe Root, no run
Mohammad Hasnain to Eoin Morgan, 1 leg bye
Mohammad Hasnain to Joe Root, 1 run
End of over 12: England: 99/2
Faheem Ashraf to Eoin Morgan, 2 runs
Faheem Ashraf to Eoin Morgan, FOUR
Faheem Ashraf to Eoin Morgan, FOUR
Faheem Ashraf to Eoin Morgan, FOUR
Faheem Ashraf to Eoin Morgan, SIX
Faheem Ashraf to Joe Root, 1 leg bye
End of over 11: England: 82/2
Imad Wasim to Eoin Morgan, no run
Imad Wasim to Eoin Morgan, no run
Imad Wasim to Eoin Morgan, 2 runs
Imad Wasim to Joe Root, 1 run
Imad Wasim to Joe Root, no run
Imad Wasim to Joe Root, FOUR
End of over 10: England: 75/2
Mohammad Hasnain to Eoin Morgan, FOUR
Mohammad Hasnain to Joe Root, 1 run
Mohammad Hasnain to Joe Root, 2 runs
Mohammad Hasnain to Joe Root, no run
Mohammad Hasnain to Eoin Morgan, 1 run
Mohammad Hasnain to Joe Root, 1 run
End of over 9: England: 63/2
Imad Wasim to James Vince, OUT
Imad Wasim to James Vince, 2 runs
Imad Wasim to Joe Root, 1 run
Imad Wasim to James Vince, 1 run
Imad Wasim to Joe Root, 1 run
Imad Wasim to Joe Root, no run
End of over 8: England: 61/1
Mohammad Hasnain to James Vince, no run
Mohammad Hasnain to Joe Root, 1 run
Mohammad Hasnain to James Vince, 1 run
Mohammad Hasnain to James Vince, FOUR
Mohammad Hasnain to Joe Root, 1 run
Mohammad Hasnain to James Vince, 1 run
End of over 7: England: 53/1
Imad Wasim to Joe Root, no run
Imad Wasim to James Vince, 1 run
Imad Wasim to Joe Root, 1 run
Imad Wasim to James Vince, 1 run
Imad Wasim to Joe Root, 1 run
Imad Wasim to James Vince, 1 run
End of over 6: England: 48/1
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Joe Root, FOUR
Shaheen Shah Afridi to James Vince, 1 run
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Joe Root, 1 run
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Joe Root, 2 runs
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Joe Root, 2 runs
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Joe Root, no run
End of over 5: England: 38/1
Hasan Ali to James Vince, FOUR
Hasan Ali to Joe Root, 1 run
Hasan Ali to James Vince, 1 run
Hasan Ali to James Vince, no run
Hasan Ali to Joe Root, 1 run
Hasan Ali to Joe Root, no run
End of over 4: England: 31/1
Mohammad Hasnain to James Vince, FOUR
Mohammad Hasnain to James Vince, 1 run
Mohammad Hasnain to James Vince, 1 wide
Mohammad Hasnain to James Vince, no run
Mohammad Hasnain to Joe Root, 1 run
Mohammad Hasnain to Joe Root, no run
Mohammad Hasnain to James Vince, 1 run
End of over 3: England: 24/0
Shaheen Shah Afridi to James Vince, 1 run
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Joe Root, 1 run
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Joe Root, 1 wide
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Joe Root, no run
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Ben Duckett, OUT
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Ben Duckett, no run
Shaheen Shah Afridi to Ben Duckett, FOUR
End of over 2: England: 17/0
Faheem Ashraf to James Vince, 3 runs
Faheem Ashraf to James Vince, 1 run
Faheem Ashraf to James Vince, no run
Faheem Ashraf to James Vince, SIX
Faheem Ashraf to James Vince, no run
Faheem Ashraf to James Vince, no run
End of over 1: England: 7/0
Imad Wasim to James Vince, 3 runs
Imad Wasim to Ben Duckett, 1 run
Imad Wasim to Ben Duckett, no run
Imad Wasim to James Vince, 1 run
Imad Wasim to Ben Duckett, 1 run
Imad Wasim to James Vince, 1 run
End of first innings: Pakistan 173/6
Chris Jordan to Imad Wasim, 1 run
Chris Jordan to Imad Wasim, FOUR
Chris Jordan to Faheem Ashraf, OUT
Chris Jordan to Faheem Ashraf, SIX
Chris Jordan to Imad Wasim, 1 run
Chris Jordan to Faheem Ashraf, 1 run
End of over 19: Pakistan 157/5
Adil Rashid to Faheem Ashraf, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Imad Wasim, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Faheem Ashraf, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Imad Wasim, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Imad Wasim, FOUR
Adil Rashid to Faheem Ashraf, 1 run
End of over 18: Pakistan 148/5
Jofra Archer to Imad Wasim, no run
Jofra Archer to Faheem Ashraf, no run
Jofra Archer to Faheem Ashraf, 1 run
Jofra Archer to Faheem Ashraf, FOUR
Jofra Archer to Imad Wasim, no run
Jofra Archer to Faheem Ashraf, 1 run
End of over 17: Pakistan 141/5
Chris Jordan to Faheem Ashraf, 1 run
Chris Jordan to Imad Wasim, 1 run
Chris Jordan to Asif Ali, OUT
Chris Jordan to Imad Wasim, no run
Chris Jordan to Asif Ali, 1 run
Chris Jordan to Imad Wasim, 1 run
End of over 16: Pakistan 137/4
Jofra Archer to Asif Ali, 2 runs
Jofra Archer to Babar Azam, OUT
Jofra Archer to Asif Ali, 1 leg bye
Jofra Archer to Haris Sohail, OUT
Jofra Archer to Haris Sohail, no run
Jofra Archer to Babar Azam, 1 run
End of over 15: Pakistan 133/2
Tom Curran to Babar Azam, 1 run
Tom Curran to Babar Azam, 2 runs
Tom Curran to Babar Azam, 2 runs
Tom Curran to Babar Azam, FOUR
Tom Curran to Haris Sohail, 1 run
End of over 14: Pakistan 122/2
David Willey to Haris Sohail, FOUR
David Willey to Haris Sohail, no run
David Willey to Haris Sohail, 1 wide
David Willey to Haris Sohail, 2 runs
David Willey to Haris Sohail, no run
David Willey to Haris Sohail, 1 wide
David Willey to Babar Azam, 1 run
David Willey to Babar Azam, 2 runs
End of over 13: Pakistan 111/2
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, no run
Adil Rashid to Haris Sohail, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, SIX
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, SIX
End of over 12: Pakistan 96/2
Jofra Archer to Haris Sohail, no run
Jofra Archer to Haris Sohail, 2 runs
Jofra Archer to Babar Azam, 1 run
Jofra Archer to Babar Azam, no run
Jofra Archer to Haris Sohail, 1 run
Jofra Archer to Haris Sohail, 2 runs
End of over 11: Pakistan 90/2
Adil Rashid to Haris Sohail, 2 runs
Adil Rashid to Haris Sohail, FOUR
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Haris Sohail, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, no run
Adil Rashid to Haris Sohail, 1 run
End of over 10: Pakistan 81/2
Jofra Archer to Haris Sohail, 1 run
Jofra Archer to Haris Sohail, FOUR, catch dropped
Jofra Archer to Haris Sohail, 2 runs
Jofra Archer to Haris Sohail, no run
Jofra Archer to Haris Sohail, FOUR
Jofra Archer to Haris Sohail, 2 runs
End of over 9: Pakistan 68/2
Adil Rashid to Haris Sohail, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Haris Sohail, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, SIX
Adil Rashid to Haris Sohail, 1 run
End of over 8: Pakistan 57/2
Chris Jordan to Babar Azam, FOUR
Chris Jordan to Haris Sohail, 1 run
Chris Jordan to Haris Sohail, FOUR
Chris Jordan to Haris Sohail, no run
Chris Jordan to Haris Sohail, SIX
Chris Jordan to Haris Sohail, no run
End of over 7: Pakistan 42/2
Adil Rashid to Haris Sohail, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, no run
Adil Rashid to Haris Sohail, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, 1 run
Adil Rashid to Babar Azam, no run
End of over 6: Pakistan 36/2
Chris Jordan to Haris Sohail, 2 runs
Chris Jordan to Haris Sohail, no run
Chris Jordan to Haris Sohail, no run
Chris Jordan to Haris Sohail, no run
Chris Jordan to Haris Sohail, FOUR
Chris Jordan to Babar Azam, 1 leg bye
End of over 5: Pakistan 31/2
Jofra Archer to Haris Sohail, no run
Jofra Archer to Imam-ul-Haq, OUT
Jofra Archer to Babar Azam, 1 run
Jofra Archer to Imam-ul-Haq, 1 run
Jofra Archer to Imam-ul-Haq, 2 runs
Jofra Archer to Imam-ul-Haq, 2 runs
End of over 4: Pakistan 25/1
Tom Curran to Babar Azam, no run
Tom Curran to Imam-ul-Haq, 1 run
Tom Curran to Imam-ul-Haq, no run
Tom Curran to Imam-ul-Haq, no run
Tom Curran to Imam-ul-Haq, no run
Tom Curran to Imam-ul-Haq, no run
End of over 3: Pakistan 24/1
David Willey to Babar Azam, FOUR
David Willey to Babar Azam, no run
David Willey to Babar Azam, 2 runs
David Willey to Imam-ul-Haq, 1 run
David Willey to Babar Azam, 1 run
David Willey to Babar Azam, no run
End of over 2: Pakistan 16/1
Tom Curran to Fakhar Zaman, OUT
Tom Curran to Babar Azam, 1 run
Tom Curran to Babar Azam, FOUR
Tom Curran to Fakhar Zaman, 1 run
Tom Curran to Fakhar Zaman, no run
Tom Curran to Fakhar Zaman, FOUR
End of over 1: Pakistan 6/0
David Willey to Babar Azam, no run
David Willey to Babar Azam, 2 runs
David Willey to Babar Azam, no run
David Willey to Fakhar Zaman, 1 run
David Willey to Babar Azam, 1 run
David Willey to Babar Azam, 1 wide
David Willey to Fakhar Zaman, 1 run
CARDIFF, Wales: Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and decided to bat first in first T20 against England in Cardiff.
The match will start at 06:00 pm
Squads
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Haris Sohail, Asif Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt), Faheem Ashraf, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain
England: James Vince, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (capt), Joe Denly, Ben Foakes, David Willey, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Chris Jordan, Tom Curran
Match Preview
The one-off Twenty20 International between Pakistan and England today will help the teams get into match mode before they throw themselves completely into preparation for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019.
Most players will agree that there’s nothing like match-practice against strong opposition in suitable conditions to get ready for a big tournament. Which means that England, the No 1 side on the ICC ODI Team Rankings, and Pakistan, No 1 on the corresponding T20I rankings, who are set to play a one-off T20I and a five-match ODI series in England and Wales before the World Cup, which starts on May 30, will be two of the best prepared sides for the premier tournament.
A lot of the focus will be on the ODI series between the sides as the hosts, especially, try to answer some late questions: Will Jofra Archer find a place in the final 15? Can the other pacers lift their game? Who will stand up to be counted for the spot left vacant by Alex Hales? But before that, the T20I should make for a tasty appetizer.
Pakistan go into the game with their batsmen in fine form, with all of Imad Wasim, Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam making hundreds in their tour wins. However, they will be without Shoaib Malik, who has been granted leave, and there is an injury cloud over Mohammad Hafeez as well.
All eyes will be on Mohammad Amir, who found himself out of the preliminary World Cup squad. In his only game on tour so far, he picked up one wicket.
England still aren’t their full-strength squad. They will go in with the same set of players who scrapped to a four-wicket win against Ireland on Friday after being reduced to 101-6 at one stage. Archer, who by his own admission was nervous to make his debut against Ireland, is likely to get another go, while his fellow pacer Chris Jordan, who didn’t feature in the XI in the last game, could get a look in.
Duckett, a late call-up to the squad, is also waiting for his T20I debut, while James Vince, who made 18 against Ireland, will be hoping for better numbers to bolster his case ahead of the ODIs.