Morgan plays captain’s knock as England beat Pakistan

CARDIFF, United Kingdom: England captain Eoin Morgan led his side to a seven-wicket win over Pakistan in a lone Twenty20 International in Cardiff on Sunday with an unbeaten innings of 57.

Test skipper Joe Root made 47 and James Vince 36 as England overhauled Pakistan’s total of 173 for six with four balls to spare at Sophia Gardens.

This was England’s second victory in three days after their One-day International success away to Morgan’s native Ireland in Dublin on Friday as they continued an encouraging start to a season that sees them staging both the 50-over World Cup and the Ashes.

England fast bowler Jofra Archer also continued his push for a World Cup call-up by taking two for 29 in Pakistan’s innings. The recalled Ben Duckett fell early in England’s chase, driving Shaheen Afridi to mid-off, but Vince and Root kept England up with the run-rate thanks to a series of sparkling shots.

Vince was caught down the legside by Pakistan captain and wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed off Imad Wasim but Morgan kept the runs coming, taking 14 off three successive balls from medium-pacer Faheem Ashraf. And even when Sarfraz caught Root, there was little danger to England’s hopes of victory with Morgan hitting five fours and three sixes in his 29-ball stay.

There was a bizarre incident at the start of Pakistan’s third over when the ground made way beneath David Willey as the England seamer was just about to make his delivery stride. Fortunately for England, Willey avoided serious injury.

Babar Azam (65) and Haris Sohail (50) shared a stand of 103 after Pakistan had been 31 for two following Sarfraz’s decision to bat first on a green-tinged pitch. Haris hit Chris Jordan for six before Babar struck successive sixes off spinner Joe Denly to complete a 31-ball fifty.

Pakistan then saw both their well-set batsmen fall in quick succession with Barbados-born Archer, renowned for his form in T20 franchise cricket, removing Haris before he ran out Babar.Having reached his half-century off 36 balls, Haris lofted Archer high towards deep midwicket where Willey was waiting to take a comfortable catch.

Two balls later, Archer gathered off his own bowling to run out Babar. Having hit the ball on to his pad from where it dribbled into the on side, Babar called for a run only to see Archer deviate from his follow-through, collect the ball and turn to throw down the stumps at the non-striker’s end with the batsman trying in vain to make his ground.

England and Pakistan will now play a five-match ODI series starting at The Oval on Wednesday.

Pakistan won toss

Pakistan

Fakhar Zaman c Morgan b Curran 7

Babar Azam run out 65

Imam-ul-Haq c Foakes b Archer 7

Haris Sohail c Willey b Archer 50

Asif Ali run out 3

Imad Wasim not out 18

Faheem Ashraf c Denly b Jordan 17

Hasan Ali not out 0

Extras (lb 3, w 3) 6

Total (6 wickets; 20 overs) 173

Did not bat: *†Sarfraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain

Fall: 1-16, 2-31, 3-134, 4-135, 5-139, 6-165

Bowling: Willey 3-0-25-0 (w 3); Curran 4-0-28-1; Archer 4-0-29-2; Jordan 4-0-41-1; Rashid 4-0-32-0; Denly 1-0-15-0

England

J M Vince c Sarfraz b Imad 36

B M Duckett c Imad b Shaheen 9

J E Root c Sarfraz b Hasan 47

*E J G Morgan not out 57

J L Denly not out 20

Extras (lb 2, nb 1, w 3) 6

Total (3 wickets; 19.2 overs) 175

Yet to bat: †B T Foakes, D J Willey, A U Rashid, J C Archer, C J Jordan, T K Curran

Fall: 1-21, 2-66, 3-131

Bowling: Imad 4-0-24-1; Faheem 3.2-0-43-0; Shaheen 4-0-35-1 (w 2); Hasnain 4-0-29-0 (w 1); Hasan 4-0-42-1 (nb 1)

Result: England won by 7 wickets

Man of the Match: Eoin Morgan (England)

Umpires: Michael Gough and Alex Wharf (England). TV umpire: Tim Robinson (England). Match referee: Sir Richie Richardson (West Indies)