England triumphed over Pakistan by 23 runs in the second T20I of the four-match series at Edgbaston Stadium on Saturday. Chasing a target of 184 runs, Pakistan was bowled out for 160, giving England their eighth win in the last 11 T20Is against the team.
England’s captain, Jos Buttler, led the innings with an impressive 84 runs off 51 balls, including eight fours and three sixes. This performance pushed Buttler past the 3,000-run mark in T20I cricket, making him the ninth player to achieve this milestone in the format.
Pakistan had an early breakthrough with Imad Wasim dismissing Phil Salt in the fourth over. However, England quickly regained control as Buttler and Will Jacks put together a vital 71-run partnership. Jacks contributed 37 runs off 23 balls, hitting six boundaries.
Despite this strong start, Pakistan’s bowlers fought back, with Haris Rauf, Imad Wasim, and Shaheen Afridi delivering key spells to limit England’s total to 183/7. Shaheen Afridi was the standout bowler for Pakistan with three wickets, while Haris Rauf and Imad Wasim took two each.
In response, Pakistan’s batting line-up struggled to maintain momentum despite a promising start. Key wickets fell consistently, and the team was unable to form substantial partnerships. Babar Azam led from the front but could not sustain the chase.
Earlier, Babar Azam won the toss and chose to bowl first. The match saw Jofra Archer making a comeback for England and Haris Rauf returning for Pakistan after a three-month hiatus.
This victory reinforced England’s dominance in the T20I format against Pakistan. The next match in the series will be crucial for Pakistan as they aim to level the series, while England will look to continue their winning streak.
**England Playing XI:**
– Jos Buttler (capt/wk)
– Phil Salt
– Will Jacks
– Jonny Bairstow
– Harry Brook
– Moeen Ali
– Liam Livingstone
– Chris Jordan
– Jofra Archer
– Adil Rashid
– Reece Topley
**Pakistan Playing XI:**
– Babar Azam (capt)
– Saim Ayub
– Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
– Fakhar Zaman
– Shadab Khan
– Azam Khan
– Iftikhar Ahmed
– Imad Wasim
– Shaheen Shah Afridi
– Haris Rauf
– Mohammad Amir
