Afridi on losing against England

England were favourites for a comfortable win when Malik pulled Plunkett to Billings in the deep.

It was an impressive performance by England considering they rested hard-hitting Jos Buttler and dependable Joe Root, opting instead to give new players a chance.

“If someone gets to know in global cricket in which hand one should hold the bat and that you don’t have to look at the ball but at your partner when you take a run, then it’s quite a worrying thing”, he added.

Two tight overs after the powerplay built the pressure on Pakistan as the required-run-rate kept climbing.

With England winning the toss and choosing to bat, it was upto them to put the game beyond Pakistan.

Sarfraz Ahmed (19) got the equation down to 11 off five and Ali (3) and Tanvir (6) chipped away at it incrementally to set up a nerve-jangling finale.

He brought himself on inside the powerplay – and struck immediately when Alex Hales went back and aimed to leg, but missed one that skidded on to be lbw to the leg-spinner’s first ball.

Roy reaches 28 from 19 balls including two sixes and a boundary.

James Vince and Root replaced the openers and both looked to score quickly. He took advantage of a life to smite 38 from 24 deliveries.

Vince was dropped by Sohail Tanvir (1-43) at long on and the ball deflected over the ropes for a six. England have ripped up the template which got them nowhere in the 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand last winter, and have fast-tracked a new breed of player.

England survived Shahid Afridi´s blistering eight-ball 24 to defend a 173-run target. As it turns out, it’s happened four times before, somewhat spoiling what would have been a tenuous preamble anyway, but the last time they did it was five years ago – against these very same opponents in this very same stadium. Also the number of times Wahab Riaz has conceded 35 plus in a T20I Innings, and also the number of sixes Afridi hit to Woakes in 18th over and wickets taken by Afridi. Rafatullah Mohmand 17 (13): Stephen Parry has produced the all important breakthrough for England getting rid of the risky Ahmed Shehzad.

Pakistan rebalanced with Mohammad Hafeez, he scored 25 off 20 before he tried to play Plunkett into the leg side, but all he could do was produce a leading edge to Willey at mid on.

England’s cause was helped by a ridiculous run-out at a crucial point of Paksitan’s chase, in which Umar Akmal and Sohaib Maqsood ended up racing one another for the safe end.

He was eventually dismissed by a sharp catch from an off-balance Liam Plunkett off the bowling of Chris Woakes, whose over had cost 22 runs.