England vs Pakistan: Jos Buttler and Phil Salt help hosts wrap up dominant T20I series win with Oval success | Cricket News

Jos Buttler and Phil Salt led England to a dominant seven-wicket victory over Pakistan within the fourth and ultimate T20I because the hosts wrapped up a 2-0 collection win at The Kia Oval days earlier than their T20 World Cup defence begins.

Captain Buttler (39), who returned to the England set-up following the beginning of his third baby, smashed seven fours and one six throughout his innings as he led the cost alongside Salt (45) in a gap stand of 82 in simply 6.2 overs.

Pakistan had no reply to England’s brutal batting as Buttler’s facet raced to 158-3 – after dismissing the vacationers for 157 – to safe a medical victory with four-and-a-half overs to spare, a day earlier than they fly out to Barbados for the T20 World Cup – reside on Sky Sports activities.

Earlier, Pakistan captain Babar Azam (36) and Mohammad Rizwan (23) made probably the most of being reunited on the high of the order, sharing a speedy 59-run partnership (36 balls) after being put into bat, earlier than Jofra Archer (1-31) and Adil Rashid (2-27) helped England combat again.

Some sloppy middle-order batting noticed Pakistan slip to 86-5, dropping Shadab Khan and Azam Khan for geese, with Liam Livingstone (2-17) then finishing a double-wicket maiden within the fifteenth over as he dismissed Usman Khan (38) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (0).

Adil Rashid (2-27) and Mark Wooden (2-35) each took two wickets apiece as Pakistan’s batting crumbled beneath the stress per week earlier than they play their first recreation on the World Cup in opposition to USA at Grand Prairie Stadium.

Pakistan pay worth for sloppy batting

Babar and Rizwan helped their facet make a stable begin with the Pakistan captain reaching 4,000 T20I runs in type as he smoked Chris Jordan by way of the covers for back-to-back boundaries within the fourth over.

Archer continued to indicate England what they’ve been lacking as he made the breakthrough, taking the essential scalp of Babar, who hit him for 4 by way of level from consecutive deliveries earlier than he was undone by the penultimate ball of the powerplay with a slower supply that noticed him caught behind sq. by Rashid.

Leg-spinner Rashid struck within the following over when his supply hit the highest of Rizwan’s center stump because the hosts wrestled again management.

The departure of Pakistan’s openers triggered an additional collapse that noticed Babar’s facet fall from 65-2 to 86-5 within the house of 4 overs.

Iftikhar Ahmed (21) and Usman Khan (38) added some middle-order impetus with a 40-run partnership that noticed Pakistan get better to a modest 145-8 by the 18th over, however a terrific catch from Jordan broke the stand off the bowling of Livingstone, who then eliminated Afridi (0) in the identical over.

Wooden’s loss of life bowling got here in useful as he mopped up the tail together with his 95mph-pace, Naseem Shah (16) getting a forefront behind to Buttler.

Haris Rauf (8) was run out by Livingstone within the ultimate over as he smashed a large supply to deep third and tried to run for a two that was by no means doable, leaving Mohammad Amir (0) stranded on the different finish.

England head to World Cup in elegant contact

England confirmed simply what they’re able to days earlier than their World Cup defence begins with a batting masterclass that compelled Pakistan’s bowlers to toil onerous.

Rauf (3-38) completed with a three-for and was the one Pakistani bowler to make an impression within the recreation out of the 5 used.

Salt was dropped on 34 by Pakistan wicketkeeper Azam within the sixth over, however the mistake was not too expensive ultimately because the England opener departed shortly afterwards when he was caught by Rizwan at deep mid-wicket to supply Pakistan some respite.

Rauf struck once more in his following over to take the scalp of Buttler, who nicked behind to Azam, earlier than firing in a 90mph yorker that crashed into Will Jacks’ (20) off-stump, leaving England on 112-3 simply after the midway stage.

Jonny Bairstow (28no) and Harry Brook (17no), nonetheless, placed on a 46-run stand to information the hosts to victory, with the latter smashing a brief ball from Rauf into the stands for six over further cowl to seal the collection win.

Babar: Pakistan taking part in effectively in patches

Pakistan captain Babar Azam:

“It went effectively for 5 or 6 overs however then I received out. The center order must step up.

“We have to kind out these issues for the World Cup. We now have a number of accidents however there are a number of positives. Our play is nice in patches.”

Buttler: I simply wish to maintain bettering

England captain and participant of the collection Jos Buttler:

“I’ve a quest to maintain bettering, making an attempt to work on a number of various things in my recreation that I have never been doing.

“That’s giving me recent vitality and motivation. We now have labored onerous in coaching and there’s a good feeling across the squad. Guys are all stepping up and performing.

“It will have been good to get two extra video games in to reveal a number of guys to completely different conditions however we’ve actually good expertise within the group and a number of guys have been taking part in within the IPL, so we’re not wanting cricket.”

Each match from the T20 World Cup is reside on Sky Sports activities between June 1-29, with England’s first match is in opposition to Scotland in Barbados on Tuesday June 4 (3.30pm UK and Eire time).

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