Liam Livingstone blasted a 42-ball century but England still could not overhaul Pakistan’s record high score in the first Twenty20 International in Trent Bridge.
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Trent Bridge is a venue where records seem to be broken. England notched up the highest ODI score not once but twice at the venue. 444 and 481 in subsequent years made this venue a limited-overs thrill-a-minute fest. But, in the Twenty20 International between England and Pakistan, records were broken. Pakistan notched up 232/6, their highest score in T20Is thanks to Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s fifty. Liam Livingstone hit a 42-ball century, the fastest-ever for England but they still fell short by 31 runs in a run-fest on Friday. The fact that they did it against the England ‘A’ side who were missing in the ODIs will give them immense self-belief.
After the disaster of the ODIs in which Pakistan was whitewashed 0-3 by a fringe England team, they got the T20I leg on a high. Pakistan chose to bat and Rizwan and Babar started on a high. Babar blasted three fours in the third over bowled by David Willey. Pakistan ended the powerplay on 49/0 as Rizwan and Babar’s partnership grew. Rizwan continued to find the boundary after the end of the powerplay as Babar notched up his fifty.
In one over bowled by Matthew Parkison, both Rizwan and Babar hit a six each. Parkinson continued to suffer as Babar hit a six and a four in his final over. Babar hit another six and the 150-run opening partnership was registered. England finally had the breakthrough as Rizwan was dismissed by Lewis Gregory for 63. Sohaib Maqsood hit two sixes before falling to Tom Curran. England staged a recovery when Willey dismissed Babar for 85.
But, the recovery was short-lived. Fakhar Zaman hit three sixes in the 18th over bowled by Saqib Mahmood. Pakistan crossed 200 and Mohammad Hafeez hit two sixes and a four in the 19th over bowled by Curran. Pakistan ended on 232/6 and England had a big job on their hands.
Pakistan made a great start with the ball as Shaheen Afridi sent back Dawid Malan for 1. Jason Roy got England back on track with three sixes off Imad Wasim in one over. Jonny Bairstow joined Roy and he got going with a six off Shaheen but the bowler dismissed him immediately for 11.
Mohammad Hasnain sent back Moeen Ali cheaply. In came Livingstone and he changed the course of the match. He got going with two sixes and a four off Haris Rauf as England ended the powerplay on 69/2. Livingstone dealt in sixes by hammering two big sixes off Shadab Khan but the legspinner got the big wicket of Jason Roy for 32.
Livingstone got close to his fifty with a six off Shadab and he reached his fifty off 17 balls with a boundary. This was the fastest T20I fifty for an English player and he continued the onslaught with another six. Morgan blasted a six but soon fell to Wasim. Livingstone neared his century with some big blows but England was falling behind the run-rate.
Livingstone reached his century off just 42 balls with another six off Shadab but the bowler had the last laugh. When Gregory and Livingstone fell in the 17th over, the game was all but over. Shaheen and Rauf ensured that there was no fightback from England as Pakistan finally registered a win.
