PAKvENG: Pakistan beat England in yet another nail-biting thriller

LAHORE – Pakistan bagged a clinical victory of five runs against England in the fifth game of the seven-match T20I series at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Wednesday.

While chasing a target of 146 runs, the visiting team was restricted to 140 as Pakistani bowling lineup showed stunning skills. Dawid Malan (36) and Moeen Ali (52) remained top scorer from England. 

Pakistan’s innings was a one-man show as Mohammad Rizwan kept the scoreboard ticking up by smashing 63 runs off 46 balls while no other player could stand for long in front of English bowlers.

Pakistan lead the historic series 3-2.

Both squads arrived in the country’s cultural capital yesterday after four T20Is in port city Karachi. All preparations were completed at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and the people of Lahore are eagerly waiting to watch the action, as England returned to the country after a 17-years hiatus.

Earlier, rain deprived the Pakistan and England teams of a first look at the ground, while the country’s home of cricket, Gaddafi promises the same electric atmosphere as Karachi.

The hosts are said to have a more dominant bowling line than the visitors but their batters, especially the middle order, leave a bit too much to be desired. Pakistani pacer Naseem Shah has been ruled out from the fifth T20I against England due to a chest infection, Pakistan Cricket Board said Wednesday.

Naseem Shah hospitalised as his health deteriorates

Team England is packed with hitters but their bowling was not likely up to the mark.

Squads

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Haider Ali, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan/Usman Qadir, Haris Rauf, Shahnawaz Dahani, Mohammad Hasnain

England: Alex Hales, Philip Salt (wk), Will Jacks, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali (c), Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Reece Topley, David Willey/Olly Stone, Adil Rashid

England offers to host bilateral Pakistan-India Test series

Schedule 

20 September – 1st T20I, Karachi 

22 September – 2nd T20I, Karachi 

23 September – 3rd T20I, Karachi 

25 September – 4th T20I, Karachi 

28 September – 5th T20I, Lahore 

30 September – 6th T20I, Lahore 

2 October – 7th T20I, Lahore