Pakistan vs England LIVE: Cricket score and result as Phil Salt blasts England to victory in Lahore
England trail seven-match series 3-2 and must beat Pakistan to avoid series defeat
England have no room for manoeuvre if they want to be triumphant in their seven-match T20I series against Pakistan. The hosts won the fifth game on Wednesday evening in a low scoring contest and now lead the series 3-2 with two matches to play.
Batting first, Pakistan set England a reachable target of 147 from their 20 overs but a collapse in the powerplay saw them fall to 31-3 with Alex Hales, Phil Salt and Ben Duckett all going cheaply. England managed to recover thanks to Moeen Ali’s 51 not out but they required 15 runs from the final over and some brilliant death bowling from debutant Aamir Jamal saw them fall eight runs short of victory.
This defeat comes on the back of another failed chase in the fourth T20I where England lost by four runs after Reece Topley ran himself out with five balls left in the innings. The tourists should have won both games and the consequence of these losses mean England must win the final two matches in Lahore to be victorious in the series. Can they get the job done this evening?
Follow all the action from the sixth T20I between Pakistan and England in Lahore:
Wicket! Dawid Malan 26 (18) lbw b. Shadab, England 128-2 (9.3)
So unlucky! Shadab Khan gets one to skip along the floor and keep low as he bowls to Dawid Malan. Malan attempts to jab his bat donw onto the ball but misses it and it strikes him bang in front of the stumps on the pads.
He sends it upstairs for a review but it’s plum and he has to go.
England 128-1 (9.2), Salt 74, Malan 26, Shadab 1-20 (2.2), England require 170 runs to win
Just 42 runs needed for England now as Dawid Malan knocks back a couple of dot balls to Shadab Khan.
England 128-1 (9), Salt 74, Malan 26, Dahani 0-33 (2), England require 170 runs to win
England need 53 from 72 balls as Dahani comes back on. Malan drives him away for a single to the point boundary and Salt takes one to long-on.
Only two overs in England’s innings have gone for less than 10 runs so far. It’s brilliant batting.
A slower ball from Dahani is clubbed away by Salt who hits it on the full toss and leaves the boundary fielder with no chance to stop it. Four more.
Salt gets lucky next up and attempts a hook shot to a bouncer. He gets a thick top edge and the ball flies to fine leg for four. 11 runs from the over.
England 117-1 (8), Salt 65, Malan 24, Shadab 1-20 (2), England require 170 runs to win
68 runs needed from 78 balls as Shadab Khan returns. He’s been the only bowler to cause problems for England and the batters take him for a single apiece from the opening two balls.
Malan then plays against the turn and cover drives Shadab away for four runs! That’s a 50 partnership between these two.
And again! Malan belts another one through extra-cover and it’s back-to-back boundaries for England’s number three.
Stop it Phil Salt. He rocks back and lifts Shadab over to the long-on boundary for another four! It’s raining boundaries. 15 runs from the over.
England 102-1 (7), Salt 60, Malan 14, Jamal 0-20 (1), England require 170 runs to win
Malan’s confidence is growing. He smokes Jamal away through the offside for four before nudging a single into the gap at midwicket for one.
Salt is back on strike and mullers Jamal over to midwicket twice! The first shot bounces inside the ropes for four but the second clears them and Salt collects six!
20 runs from the over and England bring up their 100!
England 87-1 (6.2), Salt 50, Malan 9, Jamal 0-5 (0.2), England require 170 runs to win
England need just 88 runs from 84 deliveries. They smashed 82 runs from the powerplay and now just need to play smartly and the game should be theirs.
Aamer Jamal comes on to bowl at Phil Salt who immediately latches onto a full, wide one and gets four! The next ball is turned into the legside for one and Salt brings up his 50 with a strike-rate of 263.
England 82-1 (6), Salt 45, Malan 9, Wasim 0-25 (2), England require 170 runs to win
England need less than 100 and the powerplay isn’t over yet. They require 96 from 90 balls as Mohammad Wasim is brought back on.
Wasim draws the outside edge from Dawid Malan but the ball flies away to third man for four! This is a better stroke though as Malan leans into push through midwicket and beats the fielder. This one runs away to the boundary as well.
Eight runs from the over!
England 74-1 (5), Salt 45, Malan 1, Nawaz 0-30 (2), England require 170 runs to win
Phil Salt and Alex Hales have brough the required run-rate down to just above seven runs per over but Salt doesn’t look like letting up.
Mohammad Nawaz returns and Salt smashes him over the legside for four runs. The England opener then gives himself some room outside leg and lifts the ball over cover for another bounday.
Six! This one goes straight down the ground and Salt clears the ropes! Incredible batting from him. Salt ends the over with another banger down the ground but only gets four this time.
19 runs from the over.
England 55-1 (4), Salt 27, Malan 0, Shadab 1-5 (1), England require 170 runs to win
Shadab Khan gets the much needed breakthrough for Pakistan. Dawid Malan is the new batter for England. He could do with a score.
Wicket! Alex Hales 27 (12) c. Dahani b. Shadab, England 55-1 (3.5)
Got him! Alex Hales looks for the big sweep and spoons the ball straight up into the air where is drops to Shahnawaz Dahani at short fine leg who clings onto the catch.
England lose their first wicket.
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