Pakistan hit back after ODI humiliation to win first T20 against England despite Livingstone ton
Pakistan fans in the stands watching the action during the T20 cricket match between England and Pakistan at Trent Bridge on Friday. Reuters
Gulf Today Report
A foundation of the huge total was laid by a 150 runs between skipper Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan set up Pakistan’s 31-run win over England in the first Twenty20 at Trent Bridge, despite a blistering 100 from Liam Livingstone.
Babar hit 85 and Rizwan 63 in a Pakistan record T20 total of 232-6. Pakistan’s total in the first match was highest in T20 breaking their own previous record of 205 runs that was achieved against S.Africa earlier this year and against Wendies in 2018.
Pakistani players also added 152 in the last 10 overs and hit 27 sixes in the first T20 match.
In reply, England, lost four top batsmen in the first seven overs, and their hopes flickered thanks only to Livingstone, who hit a record-breaking 103 from just 43-ball.
Livingstone slammed the fastest ton by an Englishman in T20s, but he was out next ball to a boundary catch by Shaheen Shah Afridi at 183-7 in the 17th over. England were all out for 201 with four balls left.
England’s captain Eoin Morgan praised Livingstone’s innings and said that it was an incredible knock.
This was Pakistan's first victory of their 2021 tour following a 3-0 reverse in a One-Day International (ODI) series.
Babar Azam, fresh from a superb hundred in the third ODI at Edgbaston on Tuesday, faced just 49 balls as he and Rizwan took a toll of an experimental England attack.
Babar was in typically elegant form while hitting eight fours and three sixes before he was caught behind off David Willey.
England made a frantic start to their chase with fast bowler Afridi taking a brilliant caught and bowled to dismiss opener Dawid Malan on his way to 3-30. The second match will be played at Headingley, Leeds, on Sunday.
