Pakistan lived up to their unpredictable tag in the fourth T20I of the seven-T20I series against England. The visitors’ run chase turned out to be a rollercoaster ride filled with twists and turns. There were many comebacks in the second half of the game but Haris Rauf turned out to be the hero of the match to help hosts win the game by a small margin of three runs in the final over.
Top-order collapse
England's top-order crumbled in the run chase of 167. Philip Salt got out to Mohammad Nawaz in the first over after hitting two boundaries whereas Mohammad Hasnain got rid of Alex Hales (5) and Will Jacks (0) in his first over. England found themselves struggling at 14/3 after two overs.
Crucial partnership
Ben Duckett and Harry Brook got the run chase back on track. After six overs, they had played catch-up with Pakistan with 50/3 on the board. In the eighth over, Nawaz provided the breakthrough with Duckett's wicket. Before getting out leg before wicket, Duckett scored 33 runs from 24 deliveries including five boundaries. In the 10th over, Nawaz taken to the cleaners as he conceded 19 runs including two sixes and one four.
Regular wickets
Just when England were looking comfortable in the middle, Nawaz got the prized wicket of English skipper Moeen Ali. Ali scored 29 runs from 20 deliveries including three fours and one six. In the next over, Brook's wicket pushed England on the back foot. Brook scored 34 runs from 29 deliveries before losing his wicket to Mohammad Wasim Jr.
Dawson goes ballistic
In the 17th over, David Willey hit two boundaries but Rauf came back well to take his wicket. Willey was dumbfounded by the fuller delivery. After 17th over, visitors were 134/7. The 18th over changed the complexion of the game. Hasnain crumbled under pressure and Liam Dawson hit him for 24 runs in the over. The no ball made matters worse for Pakistan. After the expensive over, England needed just nine runs from the final two overs.
Rauf does the unthinkable
Rauf was given the responsibility to bowl the penultimate over. Dawson started off with a boundary. In the last 10 balls England needed just five runs but Haris changed the game in the next four balls. Dawson (34) mistimed the pull shot and got out. Rauf struck again and got the wicket of Olly Stone for a golden duck. Reece Topley survived a yorker on his pads and sneaked a single but Rashid could not keep strike and missed the ball.
Too much pressure
In the final over, Wasim Jr. started off with a dot ball. Topley was desperate for a single well and went for it but was caught short of the crease by Shan Masood. Topley could not hold his nerves despite four balls remaining in the over as Pakistan won the game by three runs.
Ideal start
After being put to bat first, openers Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam got Pakistan off to a decent start with 52 runs in the powerplay overs. Rizwan did the bulk of scoring during fielding restrictions as he threaded gaps with ease. The duo shared their 14th fifty-plus T20I partnerships equalling Indian openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma's record.
Rizwan got to his half-century just before the halfway stage. The wicketkeeper-batter took 38 deliveries to get to his fifty. In the 12th over, Babar tried to increase his strike rate but lost his wicket to spinner Liam Dawson. He contributed 36 runs off 28 deliveries in the 97-run opening partnership.
Rizwan misses ton, Ali finishes on a high
In the 15th over, Shan Masood's catch was dropped by Hales off Adil Rashid's bowling. Masood struggled to get going while Rizwan was moving towards his second T20I century. In the penultimate over, Willey bowled brilliantly and got Masood's wicket. The southpaw scored 21 runs off 19 deliveries.
Reece Topley bowled the final over and got rid of Khushdil Shah (2) and Rizwan off consecutive deliveries. Rizwan missed the chance to get to his century. He scored 88 runs from 67 deliveries including nine fours and one six. In the final over, Asif Ali helped Pakistan finish in style with two sixes from three deliveries. Pakistan managed to post 166/4.
