Dubai: Pakistan, in search of their lost form in world cricket, following their disastrous tour to Australia, could post only 129 for 8 in the first match of the WorldCall T-20 Challenge against England at the Dubai Sports Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Though the Pakistan fans cheered for every run, England made it tough for Pakistan batsmen through their tight bowling backed by excellent fielding on a slow wicket. There was just two sixes and 11 boundaries throughout Pakistan’s innings.
Pakistan's total was their second-lowest in Twenty20 cricket. Though Pakistan elected to bat, their openers failed to provide a breezy start. Opener Imran Nazir top edged his shot to Joe Denly at deep square leg off Stuart Broad for 9. His partner Imran Farhat too followed, brilliantly run out for 14 off an under arm through to the non striker end by Kevin Pietersen.
To make matters worse, Luke Wright had Khalid Latif caught behind by Matt Prior for 4. Three down for 26 in 6.2 overs was not the right start that Pakistan would have wanted after winning the toss.
The mantle of lifting the team out of trouble thus fell on batsman Umar Akmal and skipper Shoaib Malek. Akmal, who was the leading scorer for Pakistan in the One-day series whitewash in Australia with two half centuries, lasted only 12 balls to score 13 runs. Akmal cut Graeme Swann and Broad at short third man took a leaping catch.
As Pakistan struggled for runs, spectators waved placards asking for Boom Boom Shahid Afridi, who has been banned following his attempt to tamper the ball in Australia. The first ten overs produced just 48 runs and Pakistan lost their top four batsmen in the process.
Fawad Alam, who joined his skipper tried hard to accelerate the run rate. He hit Paul Colllingwood to deep square leg to bring in the first six of the match. Malek kept finding the gaps to keep the score board moving. He played a beautiful straight drive off Wright and glanced him to pick two successive boundaries in the 14th over of the match.
When it looked like Pakistan gaining an upperhand, Malek hit Swann uppishly into the hands of Collingwood for 33. It also ended the 47 runs partnership in 5.5 overs with Alam.
With only five overs to go, all eyes turned towards the experienced Abdul Razzaq. He pulled Broad for a six to mid wicket and Pakistan sailed past the 100 run mark in the 17th over.
England re-introduced Ryan Sidebottom to go in for the kill. He would have got Razzaq but Eoin Morgan at deep mid wicket dropped the pull shot. Broad got Alam caught behind for 23.
Razzaq fell in the 19th over for 22 runs and by close Pakistan managed to post 129 for 8.
