KARACHI: Opener Mohammad Rizwan continued his good batting form with an attractive 46-ball 68 to take Pakistan to 158-7 in the first Twenty20 cricket international against England in Karachi on Tuesday.
Rizwan, top run-getter in the Asia Cup earlier this month with 281, knocked six boundaries and two sixes and put on 85 for the first wicket with skipper Babar Azam (31) after England won the toss and fielded.
England are on their first tour of Pakistan in 17 years to play seven Twenty20 internationals.
England debutant paceman Luke Wood finished with 3-24, while spinner Adil Rashid took 2-27.
Keeping an eye on next month’s T20 World Cup, both sides will look to draw first blood.
With bitter memories of their shocking defeat in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka in Dubai still fresh, the home team will go all out for an emphatic victory in the series, England’s first in this country in 17 years.
The tourists, on their first trip to the country since 2005, will play four of the seven matches in Karachi on September 20, 22, 23 and 25 and the remaining three at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on September 28, 30 and October 2.
England skipper Jos Buttler will not be able to participate in any of the four games in Karachi due to injury, therefore Ali will perform captaincy duties.
Haider Ali, Usman Qadir and Shahnawaz Dahani have returned to the playing XI whereas Shan Masood is making T20I debut.
