ABU DHABI: Pakistan lost the third and series deciding T2o match against England, in the three match series, by five runs on Monday.
Chasing England’s score of 129, Pakistan’s batting line up struggled from the get-go, when opener Mohammed Hafeez got out in the first over, while fellow opener Awais Zia provided some histrionics by scoring 23 runs (28 balls) which included a four and a six.
Asad Shafiq with 34 runs (32 balls) was the highest scorer for the team.
England JW Dernbach was the pick of English bowlers, taking two wickets, including Hafeez’s early wicket and captain Misbahul Haq’s wicket with the last ball of the innings.
Earlier, Kevin Pietersen made 62, even though Saeed Ajmal bowled brilliantly for Pakistan to take four English wickets, to take England’s score to 129 for the loss of six wickets.
Pakistan needed 130 runs off the 20 overs to win the match and the three match series.
England captain Stuart Broad had won the toss and elected to bat in the third and final Twenty20 international against Pakistan at Abu Dhabi Stadium here on Monday.
England kept the same team that lost the first match by eight runs but won the second by 38 runs — both in Dubai.
Pakistan also remained unchanged, resisting the temptation to play an extra spinner in Abdul Rehman.
England: Stuart Broad (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Ravi Bopara, Jos Buttler, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Swann
Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Awais Zia, Umar Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Aizaz Cheema, Hammad Azam
Umpires: Shozab Raza (PAK) and Zameer Haider (PAK)
Tv umpire: Ahsan Raza (PAK)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)
Cricket: England have the last laugh as Pakistan lose T20 series – The Express Tribune