Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer shine as England takes series lead over Pakistan

Jos Buttler’s scintillating knock (84 off 51) and Jofra Archer’s comeback performance (2/28) propelled England to a comfortable 23-run victory over Pakistan in the second T20I of the four-match series, played at Edgbaston on Sunday.

England sets a 184-run target

Put in to bat first, England got off to a decent start, thanks to contributions from Philip Salt (13) and Will Jacks (37). However, it was the Buttler show that stole the spotlight. The England skipper took the Pakistani attack to the cleaners, finding the boundary with ease. Jonny Bairstow (21) also chipped in with valuable runs.

Shaheen Afridi (3/36) was the pick of the Pakistani bowlers, picking up crucial wickets at regular intervals. Imad Wasim and Haris Rauf also bagged two wickets each.

Pakistan falls short despite Fakhar Zaman’s blitz

Chasing a target of 184, Pakistan’s top order crumbled under pressure. Mohammad Rizwan (0) and Saim Ayub (2) fell cheaply, leaving a mountain to climb for the middle order.

Babar Azam (32) and Fakhar Zaman (45) tried to steady the ship with a 53-run partnership. While Azam fell to Moeen Ali (2/26), Zaman continued his aggressive batting, smashing five fours and three sixes in his quickfire knock.

However, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, and Pakistan’s chase eventually fell short. Wasim (22) and Iftikhar Ahmed (23) offered some late resistance, but it wasn’t enough. Reece Topley (3/41) and Archer (2/28) were the most successful bowlers for England.

Also READ: Here’s why England captain Jos Buttler will miss a few T20Is against Pakistan

With this win, England lead the four-match T20I series 1-0. The series opener was abandoned due to persistent rain in Leeds. The third match will be played on Tuesday, May 28th, at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

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