England skipper Eoin Morgan scored a blazing 66 runs off 33 balls, as England comfortable defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the second T-20 international at Old Trafford on Sunday.
After being sent into bat by England skipper, Pakistan’s opening pair of Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman started superbly by adding 72 runs for the opening stand, before Adil Rashid broke through by claiming the wicket of Zaman for a breezy 36.
Skipper Azam looked good in his innings of 56, until he was caught by Billings off Rashid.
Mohammad Hafeez who came at No 3 carried on that momentum, as he took the attack to the English bowlers, by scoring a quickfire 69 (36) before offering a simple catch to Morgan at cover. His innings comprised of five fours and four sixes.
Pakistan at the end of 20 overs posted 195/4.
Leg spinner Rashid was the pick of the England bowlers as he claimed 2/32 in his allotted four overs.
Chasing a stiff target of 195, Jonny Bairstow and Tom Banton made a fantastic beginning by adding 66 runs for the opening stand, before both fell in consecutive deliveries to spinner Shadab Khan for 44 & 20 respectively.
But Morgan and David Malan counter attacked and accelerated by putting on 112 runs for the third-wicket stand, before the skipper was caught in the deep with the home side still requiring 18 runs.
Malan remained calm in his knock of 54*, as the home side reached the target of 196 with five balls to spare.
Shadab Khan was Pakistan’s best bowler as he ended up with figures of 3/34.
The third and final match of the series will be at the same venue on Tuesday.