LONDON – World champions England profited from an abject batting display by Pakistan yesterday to win the second Twenty20 international in Cardiff by six wickets.
After Pakistan had collapsed to 89 all out from 18.4 overs, England romped to 90 for four with six overs to spare to win the series 2-0.
Pakistan could not cope with either a barrage of short-pitched bowling from the England pacemen or the slow bowling of Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy.
Umar Akmal hit Swann for two straight sixes but was bowled for 17 when the England off-spinner kept his nerve and floated up another tempting delivery. Yardy was again economical, conceding ten runs from his four overs.
An early wicket to Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Akmal’s brilliant run-out of Craig Kieswetter for 16 temporarily lifted Pakistan’s morale.
SCOREBOARD
Scoreboard in the 2nd T20 England vs Pakistan at Cardiff, yesterday.
Pakistan innings
+K. Akmal c Swann b Bresnan 11
S. Hasan c wk Davies b Broad 3
M. Yousuf c Bopara b Bresnan 4
U. Akmal b Swann 17
*S. Afridi c Morgan b Broad 2
M. Hafeez run out 14
A. Razzaq c Yardy b Sidebottom 11
F. Alam c wk Davies b Swann 0
U. Gul c Bopara b Sidebottom 16
S. Akhtar b Bresnan 4
S. Ajmal not out 0
Extras (lb 2, w 5) 7 Total (all out – 18.4 overs) 89
Fall of wkts: 1-11, 2-18, 3-20, 4-22, 5-44, 6-55, 7-56, 8-85, 9-85, 10-89.
Bowling: Sidebottom 3-0-22-2 (1w), Bresnan 3.4-0-10-3, Broad 4-0-18-2, Yardy 4-0-10-0, Swann 4-0-27-2 (2w).
England innings
C. Kieswetter run out 16
+S. Davies c U. Akmal b Akhtar 9
R. Bopara lbw b Afridi 12
*P Collingwood cHafeez b Ajmal 21
E. Morgan not out 18
M. Yardy not out 6
Extras (b 4, lb 2, w 1, nb 1) 8
Total (4 wickets – 14 overs) 90
Did not bat: G. Swann, S. Broad, T. Bresnan, R. Sidebottom, L. Wright
Fall of wkts: 1-26, 2-26, 3-57, 4-63.
Bowling: Akhtar 4-1-18-1, Gul 2-0-23-0 (1nb, 1w), Afridi 3-0-15-1, Hafeez 2-0-15-0
Toss: Pakistan.
Series: England won the two-match series 2-0.
Umpires: Ian Gould and Richard Illingworth; TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough; match referee: Jeff Crowe; reserve umpire: Jeff Evans.
(Reuters)
