England beats Pakistan by 45 runs in second T20

Stand-in captain Jos Buttler top-scored with 59 before spinners ripped through the Pakistan batting unit as England levelled the series 1-1 at Headingley.

England's Jos Buttler raises his bat to celebrate his fifty during the second Twenty20 international between England and Pakistan at Headingley in Leeds.

Stand-in captain Jos Buttler top-scored with 59 before spinners ripped through the Pakistan batting unit as England sealed a 45-run win in the second Twenty20 International to level the series at 1-1 on Sunday.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary

Chasing 201 runs to win at Headingley, Pakistan's openers made a bright start with the bat but the team lost its way after England fast bowler Saqib Mahmood dismissed captain Babar Azam (22) in the sixth over.

England tightened its grip in the middle overs as leg-spinner Adil Rashid removed Mohammad Rizwan and Sohaib Maqsood in his second spell.

Off-spinner Moeen Ali removed Mohammad Hafeez and Fakhar Zaman cheaply as Pakistan was left tottering at 95 for 5.

Azam Khan was stumped off Matt Parkinson's leg-break before Mahmood returned to rip through the lower order and restrict the tourist to 155 for 9 in 20 overs.

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Earlier, Buttler marked his return to the national team with his 14th T20I fifty as England was bowled out for 200 with a ball to spare.

Buttler was declared fit after a calf injury and took the captaincy as Eoin Morgan chose to rest himself in a bid to rotate his squad ahead of this year's T20 World Cup.

Warning: Explicit content

Highlights: https://t.co/trLh0s1Q1S

#ENGvPAKpic.twitter.com/i5ThZNvJm2

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 18, 2021

 

After the host lost Jason Roy and Dawid Malan in the opening three overs, Buttler and Ali restored order with a brisk 67-run partnership.

Ali eventually fell for 36, scooping fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain to mid-off, but Buttler accelerated the England run rate alongside the hero of the last match Liam Livingstone.

Buttler picked out mid-off for Hasnain's second wicket of the innings, but Livingstone, fresh from scoring England's fastest ever hundred, went on to produce another entertaining innings for the home supporters.

Livingstone managed the biggest hit of the day, tonking Haris Rauf's delivery straight over the newly built Football Stand.

The right-hand batsman was run out for 38 off 23 balls before the lower order added another 35 off the last four overs to take England's score to 200 for the second consecutive game - this time to secure victory.

Both teams now head to Manchester for the series decider on Tuesday.