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 26-2 (4), Babar 17, Haider 1, Willey 1-15 (2)
Haider Ali is the new batter. He’s had a poor series for a man of his skill but has plenty of time to impose himself on the game tonight. Haider gets off the mark with a flick away for one.
Back on strike, Babar drives Willey through wide mid-on and collects his first boundary of the innings! Babar follows it up with a pull for two before whipping the ball behind square leg for four more to end the over!
12 runs come from it.
Wicket! Shan Masood 0 (2) lbw b. Willey, Pakistan 15-2 (3.2)
In and out! David Willey strikes for England as Shan Masood shuffles too far across his stumps and gets pinned on the crease. the ball strikes his pads and he decides to review.
Ball-tracking shows three red lines and no touch of the bat so he has to go! England have their second.
Pakistan 14-1 (3), Babar 6, Masood 0, Gleeson 1-9 (1)
The left-handed Shan Masood is the new batter for Pakistan and he sees out Richard Gleeson’s first over with a solid block. Nine runs and a wicket come from it.
Wicket! Mohammad Haris 7(8) c. Rashid b. Gleeson, Pakistan 14-1 (2.5)
Gone! Mohammad Haris tries to guide a short ball over short third man to the boundary but he doesn’t get the desired connection and loops the ball straight to Adil Rashid who takes a simple catch.
Pakistan lose their first wicket.
Pakistan 14-0 (2.4), Babar 6, Haris 7, Gleeson 0-9 (0.4)
Richard Gleeson replaces Reece Topley for England. He brings more pace into the equation and Babar mistimes a pull into the legside to bring Mohammad Haris back on strike.
Six! What a shot to get off the mark! Gleeson’s added pace means the ball sits up for Haris who belts him straight down the ground for a maximum!
There’s a couple more singles and Pakistan continue to milk Gleeson for runs.
Pakistan 5-0 (2), Babar 4, Haris 0, Willey 0-3 (1)
David Willey opens up from the other end and will be encouraged by the hint of swing that seems to be hanging around. Babar tries to smoke one through the covers and gets an inside egde to short fine leg.
Three dot balls go by as the Pakistan captain struggles to find his timing. The ball just seems to be holding up off the pitch.
Babar works one away past the midwicket fielder for a couple before scrambling another one with a pull to mid-on. Three runs from the over.
Pakistan 2-0 (1), Babar 1, Haris 0, Topley 0-2 (1)
Babar gets off the mark with a jab to deep square leg for a single before Mohammad Haris attempts to whip the ball off middle stump and picks out the fielder at mid-on.
Topley holds his line and continues to find that late swing making Haris slightly tentative at the striker’s end. He attempts to impose himself on the game with a hack to the legside and a ramp shot but neither comes off.
The last delivery sees Topley roll his fingers down the side of the ball and send it slower outside off stump. Haris guides it to backward point but can’t beat the fielder.
Just two runs from the over. Good start from Topley.
Pakistan 1-0 (0), Babar 0, Haris 0, Topley 0-0 (0)
Reece Topley opens the bowling for England. He’s had a decent series so far and will be hoping to continue that tonight. There’s a slight bit of swing but the direction is off and Topley moves it wide of Babar’s leg stump.
The first run of the match is an extra.
Pakistan vs England
Here come the teams. There’s going to be a bit of dew around later on in the evening making it trickier to bowl in the second innings.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Haris are going to open the batting for the hosts. If Pakistan win they’ll clinch the series.
Babar would have bowled first too
Pakistan captain Babar Azam says he would have bowled first as well if he had won the toss. He said: “I’d have bowled first. There will be a dew factor, but we will try to limit them to 160, 170 runs and try to defend it.”
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