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:
Pakistan 141-5 (18), Babar 70, Nawaz 3, Topley 0-13 (3)
Reece Topley has two overs to go and starts well against Babar Azam. Two wide deliveries bring dot balls before the captain collects a single for the hosts.
Nawaz blocks one into the legside and gets off the mark before an inside edge from Babar skews the ball into the slip cordon for another one.
Just five runs come from the over as Nawaz scrambles back for two from the last ball.
Wicket! Asif Ali 9 (9) c. Topley b. Willey, Pakistan 136-5 (17)
Got him! Willey finishes with a wicket as Asif Ali uppercuts a short ball over to the fielder at the deep point boundary. Reece Topley is there and he clings onto the catch.
Pakistan 136-4 (16.3), Babar 68, Asif 9, Willey 1-32 (3.3)
A full toss from David Willey is guided behind square by Babar Azam and some great fielding on the boundary from Sam Curran keeps it to two runs.
Another low full toss is pounced on this time and Babar drills it over extra-cover for six runs! Pressure on Willey.
He responds with a short ball that Pakistan’s captain slaps away for one.
Pakistan 127-4 (16), Babar 59, Asif 9, Gleeson 1-39 (4)
Four runs! Gleeson is brought back on and bangs a short ball in at Asif who hooks him away to the legside boundary for four! Another short ball catches the edge but the ball lands safely down to third man.
Oh my! Gleeson pushes one fuller and Babar Azam laces a huge drive over the top and clears the ropes for six runs! That’s 3000 runs in T20I cricket for Babar who reaches the landmark in just 81 innings - a joint record with India’s Virat Kohli.
14 runs from the over. Pakistan move back in control of the innings.
Pakistan 113-4 (15), Babar 51, Asif 3, Curran 2-18 (3)
Asif Ali is the incoming batter and he works Curran away from three runs from the remaining three deliveries of the over. A wicket and five runs from the over.
Well bowled Sam Curran.
Wicket! Iftikhar Ahmed 31 (21) c. Brook b. Curran, Pakistan 110-4 (14.3)
Yes it is! Iftikhar Ahmed tries to punt Curran over the fielder at long leg but he doesn’t get the ball out of the middle of the bat and sends it straight down the throat of Harry Brook.
Sam Curran has another wicket!
Pakistan 110-3 (14.2), Babar 51, Iftikhar 31, Curran 1-15 (2.2)
Sam Curran has probably been England’s best bowler tonight. He’s mixed up his pace and his lengths keeping the batters guessing. Both Babar and Iftikar can only work him away for ones.
Is a big shot coming?
Pakistan 108-3 (14), Babar 50, Iftikhar 30, Rashid 0-38 (4)
50 for Babar Azam! It’s been a smart and calculated innings from Pakistan’s captain who’s been content to takes ones and twos whilst putting away the bad ball and letting his batting partners take the risk.
Pakistan are well set to push on now. They’ll be thinking about 160-170 as a par score.
Pakistan 105-3 (13.3), Babar 49, Iftikhar 28, Rashid 0-35 (3.3)
Adil Rashid is going to finish off his four overs. His first ball is a little short and Iftikar collects one with a cut to point. Babar then pushes a drive to the boundary fro another single before Iftikhar launches a full ball out of the ground! Six runs!
100 up for Pakistan!
Pakistan 97-3 (13), Babar 48, Iftikhar 21, Gleeson 1-25 (3)
Pace now as Gleeson returns to bowl to Babar. He’s full outside off stump but Pakistan’s skipper drives the ball straight to the fielder at cover.
A short ball is then pulled around the corner and worked away to the boundary for four!
Iftikhar gets Babar back on strike with the captain needing just three runs for a half-century. He flicks the ball over to deep midwicket and can only collect one.
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