England 172-8 Pakistan169-8: Jos Buttler survives ‘stressful’ debut as England win series

England 172-8 Pakistan169-8 England win by three runs

England's captain Jos Buttler leaves the pitch after being dismissed during the second T20 cricket match between Pakistan and England (AFP)

Jos Buttler’s England pulled off a thrilling, series-clinching three-run win over Pakistan in his first match as captain.

In a contest lacking a half-century, but no shortage of late drama, England eked out 172 for 8 – and Liam Plunkett (3 for 33) then recovered his composure as he and Chris Woakes ensured Pakistan fell just short to lose their second match in successive nights at the Dubai International Stadium.

England therefore have an unassailable 2-0 lead in this tour-ending Twenty20 series, with only Monday’s fixture in Sharjah remaining.

Buttler said: “I’ll take that.It’s a bit more stressful being captain, but it was a performance full of character from us. We didn’t play our best, we certainly weren’t as fluent as we would like, but we got up to a good score.

“Then we thought we’d done the work with the ball, but [Shahid] Afridi came in and played as he can – but we got over the line. For Woakes to come back, having bowled that over at Afridi, to get it right shows a lot about him.”

Buttler, replacing the rested Eoin Morgan at the scene of his record-breaking 46-ball one-day international century a week ago, won the toss only for James Vince’s 38 to prove England’s modest top score.

A highest stand of 35 between Vince and Buttler told its own tale of an innings which featured nine sixes but barely broke par as Afridi (3 for 15) held sway.

Afridi brought himself on inside the powerplay and struck immediately to remove Alex Hales before dismissing Jason Roy in his next over.

Afridi was then the catcher when Joe Root – one ball after depositing Shoaib Malik into the midwicket stand with a slog-sweep – aimed in the same direction again, but could not get past the ring.

Vince was dropped by Sohail Tanvir on 15, getting a six off that shot, and he ended up scoring 20 off four balls against Wahab Riaz and Shoaib – but he got under another sweep to become Afridi’s third victim.

Sam Billings was well held at long-on by Umar Akmal, but Buttler threatened to up the ante until his attempted ramp shot backfired with a tame edge behind off Tanvir, and England’s effort petered out until Woakes hit 13 of 14 runs off Wahab’s final over.

After England bowled moderately with the new ball, and Pakistan openers Rafatullah Mohmand and Ahmed Shehzad took advantage in a 51-run stand, the spinners had their say. Stephen Parry turned one sharply to beat Shehzad and Rafatullah missed a drive at an Adil Rashid leg-break as Buttler completed a second stumping.

Plunkett returned, having conceded 15 in his first over, to have Mohammad Hafeez poking a leading edge to mid-off – and Rashid yorked Sohaib Maqsood with a googly which turned back before Buttler pulled off a brilliant one-handed diving catch as Plunkett got Umar Akmal.

Afridi revived Pakistan hopes with three sixes and a four off eight balls, but Woakes had him well caught at short third-man by Plunkett from the last ball of the 18th over.

Even after the home bonus of four overthrows, a Billings ricochet from the deep off Sarfraz as he dived for his ground to make a two, Pakistan needed 11 from the last over. Woakes had finished well with the bat, and did likewise with the ball.

He bowled Sarfraz to put himself on a hat-trick and the hosts just ran out of time in a match which went down to the last ball, Anwar Ali unable to hit it for the four required off Woakes.