LAHORE: Opener Phil Salt hit a dazzling unbeaten half century as England outplayed Pakistan by eight wickets in the penultimate game of the seven-match Twenty20 international series at picturesque Gaddafi Stadium here on Friday evening. The victory tied the series 3-3 with an intriguing final game to be played at the same venue on Sunday (tomorrow). Chasing victory target of 170, the tourists raced home in 14.3 overs for the loss of two scalps only. Phil played his career-best innings of 88 off 41 balls with the help of three sixes and 13 fours. It was the third fastest half century by an England batsman in the shortest format, which helped the visitors to chase down the target with ease.
Phil completed his second T20I fifty off just 19 balls, improving on his previous best of 57 against the West Indies at Bridgetown earlier this year. The England batsmen completely dominated the Pakistan bowlers with only spinner Shadab Khan claiming two wickets for 34 runs. England, who failed to chase 146 in the fifth game on Wednesday, were given a rousing start by Salt and Alex Hales who compiled 50 in just three overs. Hales, who smashed four fours and a six in his 12-ball 27, holed out after a breezy 55-run start off just 24 balls before Dawid Malan helped add 73 for the second wicket with an 18-ball 26. Ben Duckett remained not out on 26.
Babar leads Pakistan to 169: Earlier, skipper Babar Azam hammered a scintillating undefeated knock of 87 as Pakistan made 169 for the loss six wickets after put into bat. With his innings, Babar equalled Indian star batsman Virat Kohli’s record of the fastest man to 3000 runs in cricket’s shortest format. The Pakistan skipper, who hit an unbeaten 59-ball 87 for his 27th half century, reached 3,000 T20I runs in 81 innings as he laid the foundation of home team’s respectable total. Babar hit Richard Gleeson for a six to join Indian duo of Rohit Sharma (3694 runs in 140 matches) and Kohli (3,663 in 108), New Zealand’s Martin Guptill (3497 in 112) and Ireland’s Paul Stirling (3011 in 114) in the milestone. Babar hit three sixes and seven boundaries and added 48 for the fourth wicket with Iftikhar Ahmed (31) and 47 for the third with Haider Ali (18). Sam Curran (2-26) and David Willey (2-32) were the successful England bowlers. Pakistan handed a T20I debut to 21-year-old wicketkeeper/batsman Mohammad Haris as they rested Mohammad Rizwan. Fast bowler Haris Rauf was also rested, making way for Shahnawaz Dahani. England rested the pace duo of Mark Wood and Chris Woakes to bring in Reece Topley and Gleeson.