full and driven through the covers, Salt seals the deal - England win by eight wickets and draw level in the series at 3-3 with one to play
Pakistan vs England, 6th T20I at Lahore, PAK v ENG, Sep 30 2022 - Match Result
11.05pm: That's a wrap for tonight, thanks for keeping us company. These two teams can't be separated, so we'll be back for one last dance in Lahore on Sunday, with the series spoils on the line. You'll find Danyal's report up on the site shortly, and Matt Roller will have more to come from the ground. From myself, Vish and Raghav, it's good night. Bye!
10.55pm: Time for some presentations (at least, it should be)... Phil Salt is Player of the Match: "Definitely [best T20I knock], nice to do it with the series in the balance. Always a challenge at the top when you feel you're playing well but picking out fielders and finding ways to get out. Pleased with the backing from the management about how they want me to play. You need competition, the best sides have that. Everyone's trying to put their best foot forward and show the coaches how good they are."
Pakistan captain Babar Azam is next up: [Paraphrased from Urdu by the interviewer] "Thought it was a good score, could have got 10-15 more. England's use of the powerplay was the turning point. Middle order roles, players need to take responsibility, hope they will in the next game."
England captain Moeen Ali: "Very happy, thought the way we batted in particular was outstanding. Shows if you stick to the process, you don't have to slog you can play proper shots. And I thought the seamers were outstanding today. If you don't lose wickets early on you can keep going. Good base, good shots, really impressive performance. Another good game, I hope, it's been a brilliant series. We feel we've learned a lot as a group. [Buttler] He's feeling good, been training a bit more. Whether or not we risk him for one game, we'll see.
10.45pm: After two nerve-shredding, nail-biting defences from Pakistan, England get their chasing mojo back, and in some style. Phil Salt's career-best 88 not out brings them victory with 33 balls to spare, and means we will have a decider in Lahore on Sunday night. The dew is probably due some credit, too, as batting seemed to get a lot easier as the game wore on; but England's pedal-to-the-metal approach will rarely prove more effective than that, all of the home attack going at more than 10 an over other than Shadab Khan, who picked up a respectable 2 for 34. This seven-match series is going all the way, baby!
Our stats man, Sampath, has this: "Second biggest win in terms of balls to spare while chasing a target of 170 and more"
short ball swatted out to deep backward square leg, levelling the scores
"Assuming England win (as seems likely), it sets up Sunday's game beautifully. Tickets will be selling like hot cakes in the Tapal Tea lounge." The only tea lounge in town, James
slower-ball bouncer, Salt waits and readjusts to play a tennis drop shot into the covers
fired full down the leg side. Three more needed
Mohammad Wasim is back
"Condiments to Abdullah for his 'Assault' play on words," snorts mickeyscan
back of a length and pulled through midwicket, into the wide open spaces for four! England a hit away now
"Let's be honest, this series and both teams are fully deserving of a decider!" Can't argue with that, Adam
short of a length, maybe a cutter and Salt again swings and misses. Hit on the body and it runs behind point
length ball outside leg stump, flicked to deep backward square
slower ball, defeats Salt's attempted pull. Hit on the body and Jamal appeals for lbw, but not very convincingly
panned down the ground! Short of a length and he latches on to a flat-batted mow back past the bowler for four
"Alan! You referred to a WhatsApp group. Ah! What an elite group of experts will it be. Can we be a part of it :( ? Pls say yes just for our happiness even if you don't mean it." Okay, Shehryar Afridi. Yes (but I don't mean it)
back of a length outside off and slapped hard, but straight to backward point
Aamer Jamal back for a second over. England 15 away from levelling the series
looped up, flicked from off stump, and timed like a Rolex into the gap! Long-on and deep midwicket were both out, but the attempt to cut it off only succeeds in diverting the ball for four
dragged down and hammered to long-on, well stopped on the sprawl
"This is too much 'Salt' ... not enjoying it! LOL." More than a sprinkle can be bad for your health, Usman Khan
bails removed, has Salt wandered out of his ground? Haris appeals confidently, Salt doesn't look too perturbed. Back foot never left the crease, that's why
floated up and whipped to long-on
over the wicket, Duckett looks to come down to a flighted delivery, inside-edges into his boot and then hops back into his crease as Haris comes around
tossed up and wellied hard down to long-off for a single
"Duckett is doing Salt a disservice, he deserves a maiden century here," says Yahya, quickly totting things up on his calculator. Not many to play with after that over
down the leg side and swept behind the sweeper at deep backward square, Duckett scurries back to the danger end for a second
round the wicket, googly I think, 89kph and nudged off the front pad
slightly short and sent scudding to deep backward square! Orthodox sweep this time, but brutally crashed between two boundary riders
dragged down and walloped through cover! On the reverse, by the way... a scything blow across the line and away into the gap
1W | ||||
1W |
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore | |
Toss | England, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2022 |
Player Of The Match | |
Series result | 7-match series level 3-3 |
Match number | T20I no. 1802 |
Match days | 30 September 2022 - night (20-over match) |
T20I debut | |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee |
Over 15 • ENG 170/2
England won by 8 wickets (with 33 balls remaining)