England demolish Pakistan in 3rd T20I, take 2-1 lead: Stats
England pounded Pakistan by 63 runs to clinch a 2-1 lead in the seven-match T20I series on Friday. Valiant performances from Harry Brook (81*) and Ben Duckett (70*) saw the visitors rack up 221/3. For Pakistan, leg-spinner Usman Qadir (2/48) came up with the best figures. Later, the hosts were reduced to 28/4 in the powerplay to surrender the duel (158/8). Here's more.
How did the third T20I pan out?
Put to bat, England fumbled as they lost opener Philip Salt in the third over. They picked steam but wound up on 82/3 in 8.3 overs. Brook and Duckett's 139*-run stand proved to be a handful for Babar Azam's men. Pakistan's top-order batters recorded single-digit scores before Shan Masood (66*) and Khushdil Shah (29) showed some resistance, but it wasn't enough.
Jacks riles up Pakistani bowlers
Debutant Jacks, who replaced Alex Hales for this fixture, willed all his 100 T20 experiences to whack a 22-ball 40. He found a boundary in the first over, tonking Mohammad Hasnain over wide mid-on. The right-hander raced to 36 off 17 deliveries in the powerplay overs itself. He belted eight fours before slogsweeping Qadir's tossed-up delivery straight to Mohammad Nawaz at deep mid-wicket.
Fifties from Brook, Duckett light up Karachi
Notably, Broom and Duckett clocked their maiden fifties in the format. Brook, who scored 42*(25) and 31(19) in the first and second T20Is respectively, top-scored with a superb 35-ball 81*. He thumped eight fours and five sixes to tally 219 T20I runs at 43.80. Duckett managed a 42-ball 70*, hitting eight fours and a six. The southpaw has raced to 143 runs at 47.66.
Brook, Duckett stitch a record partnership
Brook and Duckett scored in tandem to get England past 220. As per ESPNcricinfo, their 139*-run stand is the highest by an English duo for the fourth wicket in T20Is. Most notably, it is the sixth highest overall for Englishmen in this format. Malan and Eoin Morgan's 182-run stand for the third wicket against New Zealand in Napier occupies the top spot.
Wood leads the English attack
Mark Wood, who returned to internationals from an elbow injury, uprooted Babar and Haider Ali in the powerplay. He wound up with 3/25 in four overs. The right-armer now holds 29 T20I scalps at 22.27. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid (2/32) broke a tie with Nepal's Sandeep Lamichhane to own 87 T20I scalps at 23.22. Sam Curran and Reece Topley pocketed a wicket each.
A record win for England
As per ESPNcricinfo, this is England's biggest margin of a win (run-wise) over Pakistan in T20I cricket. They bettered their 48-run win clocked back in 2009.
