The 20-20 World Cup 2022 is underway. While teams like Scotland, Namibia, Sri Lanka, etc. are trying hard to get into Super 12s, the top teams are currently playing warm-up fixtures. Pakistan played their first warm-up match against England on Monday. Both M Rizwan and Babar Azam rested in that game and Shadab Khan led the team against a dangerous England side.
In a rain-curtailed 19-over match, Pakistan managed to score 160 runs at the end of the first innings. Masood gave the team a stellar start, scoring 39 runs in 22 balls, while the likes of Iftikhar Ahmed (22 off 18) and M Wasim Jr. (26 off 16) also made handy contributions with the bat.
However, it took only 14.4 overs for England to chase down the target. Ben Stokes returned to form with an 18-ball 36-run knock. Power-hitter Liam Livingstone also smashed 28 off 16 balls, while Brook made 45 off 24 deliveries.
Livingstone and Harry Brook might not have scored that many runs had Haris Rauf pulled off the run-out chance of Liam Livingstone in the 9th over of England’s innings. On the penultimate delivery of the over bowled by Shadab Khan, Livingstone pushed the ball toward the cover region and started running instantly.
Harry Brook, who wasn’t too sure if he should take a single or not, caused a huge mix-up. It led to a big confusion and both the batters stopped midway. Livingstone, later, said ‘no’ but Brook had already reached the other end by then.
Rauf had the chance to collect the ball and hand it to Shadab Khan to dislodge the stumps. However, instead, he tried to inflict a direct hit and it missed the stumps, leaving Shadab Khan fuming.
You can watch the video here:
Pakistan being Pakistan! #ENGvPAK #Pakistan #England #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/SQsU3qzNYp
— Vaishnavi Iyer (@Vaishnaviiyer14) October 17, 2022
England chased down the score pretty comfortably in the end. Pakistan, meanwhile, will play their second warm-up fixture against Afghanistan before they kick start their campaign against India on 23rd October 2022.
