Malan, Woakes star in England’s T20I series win over Pakistan
Lahore: Dawid Malan hit a brilliant half-century and pace bowler Chris Woakes took three wickets as England thrashed Pakistan by 67 runs in Lahore on Sunday to win the seven-match T20 international series 4-3.
Malan hit a 47-ball 78 not out and was ably supported by Harry Brook (46 not out) and Ben Duckett (30) to lift England to 209-3 in 20 overs.
The visitors then restricted the home team to 142-8 to end their first tour to Pakistan in 17 years with a series victory.
England won the first, third, sixth and seventh games while Pakistan won the second, fourth and fifth.
The result denied Pakistan their first T20I multi-game series win over England, who have won five while drawing the other two.
Pakistan never recovered from losing the in-form Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, their top run-scorer in the series, in the opening two overs.
Woakes had Azam caught at short cover for four before Reece Topley bowled Rizwan for one with his second delivery.
Shan Masood’s 43-ball 56 was in vain as Pakistan were never in the hunt for their highest successful chase.
Pakistan’s best chase in a T20I was the 208 they achieved against the West Indies in Karachi last year.
Khushdil Shah made 27 off 25 balls and added 53 for the fourth wicket with Masood but leg-spinner Adil Rashid removed him to break the stand.
Woakes, who took 3-26, dismissed Asif Ali (seven) and had Masood caught brilliantly by Adil Rashid in the 19th over to end Pakistan’s hopes.
England skipper Moeen Ali, standing in for tour captain Jos Buttler who didn’t play a single game due to a calf injury, said it was a “brilliant game”.
“We played really well from the start and the batters put up a very good score while I thought our bowling was outstanding in wet conditions,” he added.
Azam deplored the loss of early wickets.
“We were chasing a 200-plus total and because we lost two important wickets early on that made our chase tough and credit to England for playing better,” said the Pakistan skipper.
Earlier, Malan and Brook led England’s recovery from a jittery 39-2 with openers Alex Hales (18) and Phil Salt (20) gone after a quick 39-run start — both falling in the fifth over.
Dropped twice by Azam on 29 and Mohammad Wasim on 62, Malan struck eight fours and three sixes in the 13th half-century of his T20I career.
Malan added 62 for the third wicket with Duckett to put the innings back on track.
Brook, dropped on 24 by Azam off Haris Rauf, struck four sixes and a four in his 29-ball innings and added 108 for the fourth wicket with Malan in 10.1 overs.
For Pakistan, fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain took 1-32 while fellow paceman Wasim went for 61 runs in four wicket-less overs.
England took the attack to Pakistan and scored 60 in their last five overs.
