England edge Pakistan by just 3 runs in the thrilling T20

England are therefore in a hurry to find out as much as possible as quickly as possible, in time for the ICC World Twenty20 next March, about how their own rising stars react to pressure situations.

In the absence of the rested Joe Root and Jos Buttler, Billings (53) and debutant Vince (41) helped captain Eoin Morgan (45 not out) make up for any shortfall in a total of 160 for five. Hales was lbw and Roy was caught by Sarfraz.

Mired at 19 for three, the tourists were indebted to a fine effort from James Vince on debut to lay any sort of platform.

After hitting a six, Root tried to repeat the shot but holed out to mid-wicket where Afridi timed his jump to perfection to complete the catch. Sohail Tanvir has trouble locating the ball out of the night sky. “We were sitting at number two in Twenty20 because we have skilled players”. So they take the series with one match to go. Buttler scored a quick-fire 33 off only 22 balls.

Others needed to stay calm too, including Chris Woakes who had been desposited for three sixes by Shahid Afridi in his third over but returned for the last to defend a further 11 runs and leave the hosts three shy of England’s hard-earned 172 for eight.

After Buttler had won the toss, Afridi (three for 15) brought himself on inside the powerplay – and struck immediately. The very next ball, Parry ripped one past his outside edge, Shehzad sashayed down the pitch, and was stumped. Pakistan’s 50 came up off just 28 deliveries, and all but four of them had come on the leg-side.

The result came in the ninth over when Mohmand ventured down the track but missed the ball while Buttler whipped off the bails in a flash.

England paceman Liam Plunkett bowled with fire and venom to finish with 3-33 while leg-spinner Adil Rashid grabbed 2-18 in his four probing overs.

Akmal (3) was at the receiving end of a marginal decision after being adjudged caught behind in the 15th over.

Vince continued last season’s form, when he made more T20 runs (710 at 59.6) than any player in the history of England’s domestic T20 competition.

Plunkett’s third wicket, getting Shoaib Malik caught on the leg-side boundary, seemed to have sealed the deal.

In fact Afridi’s arms were seldom static while Pakistan were in the field.

But with 11 needed from the final over, Chris Woakes – earlier carted for three sixes in five balls by Pakistan skipper Shahid “Boom Boom” Afridi – recovered his composure in the nick of time.

Pakistan is hoping to win the series by 2-1 in order to hold their current position.

England, nevertheless, managed to show off the faucets and restricted Tanvir and Anwar Ali to only three runs from the ultimate 4 balls, leaving them in need of their goal on 169-8.