MANCHESTER: Veteran Mohammad Hafeez and teenage debutant Haider Ali both starred with the bat for Pakistan in the third and final T20I with a five-run win at Old Trafford.
It was Pakistan’s first victory in 66 days in England and meant they squared this three-match series at 1-1 after suffering a 1-nil loss in last month’s three-Test series.
Hafeez made 86 not out and Haider 54 in Pakistan’s 190-4. Hafeez’s knock followed his 69 in England´s five-wicket win in the second T20 on Sunday and was his fourth half-century in his last five T20 international innings.
England were 69-4 in their chase before Moeen Ali, who should have been out for seven, revived their hopes with 61. Wahab Riaz, in for the injured Mohammad Amir, ran out Chris Jordan and then caught and bowled Moeen, England were 174-8 with seven balls left.
They needed 12 off two balls when Tom Curran hit a six. Curran could not repeat the shot when Haris Rauf bowled a yorker with the last ball of the match.
England suffered a setback just four balls into their chase when Jonny Bairstow was bowled for a duck by a superb yorker from left-arm quick Shaheen Afridi.
Dawid Malan was caught by a leaping Fakhar Zaman near the boundary rope after hoisting left-arm spinner Imad Wasim.
England captain Eoin Morgan looked in good touch following his 66 on Sunday but he was run out for just 10 after a dreadful mix-up with Tom Banton.
Moeen should have been out when he went down the pitch to Imad but Sarfaraz Ahmed fumbled the easy stumping. The left-handed batsman launched a blistering assault as he compiled a 25-ball fifty, including two fours and four sixes.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam followed his 56 on Sunday with a brisk 21 before he was bowled by Curran. Haider struck Lewis Gregory´s first ball for an elegant legside pick-up six that soared over the longest boundary.
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