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Riding on Phil Salt's lightning knock dampened Babar Azam's blitz as England scripted a cracking eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the sixth T20I to level the seven-match series 3-3 on Friday (September 30).
Salt clobbered a stunning 87 not out off just 41 balls to make the light work of Pakistan's 170-run target in 14.3 overs. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam too scored 59 off 87 but his efforts went in vain.
The two England wickets that fell in the England's innings were picked by Shadab Khan.
Salt slammed 13 boundaries and three sixes in his stormy show with the bat while Alex Hales (27 off 12), Dawid Malan (26 off 18) and Ben Duckett (26 off 16) also contributed with their bits in team's victory.
Without in-form Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan initially struggled as Mohammad Haris (7) and Shan Masood (0) fell early on, leaving Babar to do much of the leg work.
Haider Ali (18), Iftikhar Ahmed (31) and Asif Ali took their side to 136-4, but the latter upper cut to Reece Topley for nine runs and Mohammad Nawaz (12) followed soon after.
Babar's 87 did at least give England something to think about, but Salt and Alex Hales put on an opening partnership of 55 off 23 balls, before the latter was removed for 27.
Salt reached his half-century off just 19 balls en route to an unbeaten 88, including the decisive shot as England posted 170-2 to level things up.
Pakistan were without run machine Rizwan but Babar stepped up with 87 runs off 59 balls, which included three sixes and seven fours.
Babar surpassed a milestone 3,000 T20I runs in the process, yet it was not enough to steer the hosts to an unassailable series lead.
The tourists were set 170 to avoid a third successive T20I defeat to Pakistan for the first time ever and had no trouble in reaching that target.
Only once before – against New Zealand in November 2019 (6.4 overs in a game reduced by rain to 11 overs) – have England previously reached 100 from seven overs.
Salt played a key part in that as he underlined his credentials to partner Jos Buttler at the upcoming T20 World Cup.
