England wrapped up a 2-0 Twenty20 series victory over Pakistan after the tourists suffered the embarrassment of being dismissed for 89 to add to their off-field problems here on Tuesday.
World Twenty20 champions England finished on 90 for four to complete a six-wicket win with 36 balls to spare, having won by five wickets here Sunday.
Pakistan’s total was their worst in 40 matches at this level while England’s seventh straight Twenty20 international win saw them equal a record held jointly by
South Africa and Pakistan.
Yorkshire seamer Tim Bresnan took three wickets for 10 runs in 3.4 overs as Pakistan fell well short of their previous worst Twenty20 international score of 125 for nine in 20 overs against Australia at Melbourne in February.
England had held Pakistan to 126 for four on Sunday.
But they did even better in this match as Pakistan were bowled out with eight balls of their innings left.
Stuart Broad, left-arm quick Ryan Sidebottom and off-spinner Graeme Swann took two wickets each, while left-arm spinner Michael Yardy’s four overs cost just 10 runs.
Umar Akmal’s 17 was the top score for 2009 World Twenty20 winners Pakistan.
The tourists, after captain Shahid Afridi won the toss, collapsed to 22 for four off five overs — after taking 11 off the first from Sidebottom.
Bresnan started the slump with Kamran Akmal, for the second match in a row, top-edging a pull which was well caught by Swann.
Mohammad Yousuf, already dropped once, fell for two when he hooked Bresnan to Ravi Bopara at deep square leg as he too exited in similar fashion to the way he’d departed Sunday.
The big-hitting Afridi was out fourth ball when trying to carve Broad and was caught by Eoin Morgan.
Shazaib Hasan was undone by a well-directed Broad bouncer and was caught down the legside by wicketkeeper Steven Davies, the fast bowler taking two wickets for two runs in five balls.
Umar Akmal cheered up Pakistan fans in a meagre crowd of just 5,821 with a straight six off Swann and repeated the dose in Swann’s next over.
However, he was bowled the following ball trying to smash a slower delivery.
Bresnan ended the innings when he yorked Shoaib Akhtar.
England briefly wobbled in reply, losing two wickets on 26, and then two more in quick succession to be 63 for four.
But Morgan (18 not out) and Yardy (six not out) saw England home.
Pakistan’s tour has been overshadowed by a ‘spot-fixing’ scandal that has seen Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif all suspended by the International Cricket Council after allegedly conspiring to deliberately bowl no-balls during last month’s fourth Test at Lord’s.
England, who won the Test series 3-1, will look for another victory against Pakistan when the teams meet in the first of five one-day internationals at Chester-le-Street on Friday. |
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