Daily Times

Pakistan concluded their two months long England tour on a high when skipper Sarfraz Ahmad and his charges routed the hosts by nine wickets in the one-off Twenty20 international in Manchester on Wednesday night. England, who won the preceding one-day international series 4-1, struggled to 135 for seven after making a good start before Pakistan adapted to the conditions much better and eased to their target with more than five overs to spare. Pakistan not only played a marvelous innings but also provided dazzling cricket to their fans. The one-off T20 contest, no doubt, was a high-octane stuff. A win in the last ODI helped the visitors avoid the humiliation of a whitewash as they chased down a target of 303, and Pakistan carried that momentum while playing their first T20I since their humiliating first round exit at the World T20 in March.

The match was Sarfraz’s first in charge since he was appointed Twenty20 captain five months ago after Pakistan’s early exit from the mega event in India – where England reached the final only to lose to the West Indies in a last-over thriller. Sarfraz, along with a group of largely untested cricketers, delivered against a rampant England side. With nine wins to their name in 13 matches against Pakistan, including a five-match unbeaten streak that stretches back to 2012, hosts England took to the field as overwhelming favourites but Sarfraz and his men turned the tables to the surprise of many.

The 29-year-old Sarfraz has been one of the Pakistan’s standout performers in both Test and one-day cricket during their tour of England. He led the way with a fine innings of 90 as Pakistan gained a consolation win in the fifth ODI in Cardiff on Sunday last, although England still took the five-match series. It was a much closer contest during the preceding four-Test campaign, with Pakistan coming from 2-1 behind to finish all square at 2-2. Under Misbahul Haq, who no longer plays white-ball cricket, Pakistan have risen to the top of the world Test rankings. But it has been a different story in ODIs where, with top-order batsman Azhar Ali as their skipper, Pakistan are a lowly ninth in the standings and in danger of failing to qualify automatically for the 2019 World Cup in England.

Victory in Manchester saw Pakistan finish their tour with a flourish. They produced their most vibrant bowling and fielding display of the limited-overs leg of the trip to restrict England, who fielded the same side who played the World T20 final in April. Alex Hales and Jason Roy added 56 for England’s first wicket but Roy’s departure for 21 prompted a complete collapse as the hosts struggled to cope with some disciplined bowling of Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali and Wahab Riaz. Jos Buttler, who missed the final two ODIs with a hamstring niggle, looked in the mood for a rebuilding job but he failed. Neither Ben Stokes or Eoin Morgan could get going and the harder England tried to hit the ball the worse off they became. The Pakistan bowlers smartly ripped through the England batting line-up. They generated fearsome speed, mixed with smart changes of pace, to leave the hosts’ middle order in a tangle. Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif shared a destructive opening partnership of 107 off 11 overs. Both reached their fifties with sixes. And after Sharjeel departed for 59 the touring side cruised to their target, Latif finishing unbeaten on 59.

During the tour, enterprising Pakistan’s conduct, as well as their cricket, helped restore their reputation, damaged in the eyes of both their own fans and England supporters, following the spot-fixing controversy that blighted their last visit six years ago.