ENG VS PAK - 2nd T20I, Pakistan tour of England, 2024

England go 1-0 up and we've two more matches to play before both teams fly across to the Caribbean islands for the World Cup. Plenty of positives for England with the form of Jos Buttler, Will Jacks and the comeback from Jofra Archer. Pakistan too will be pleased at the form of some of their middle-order mainstays and the way Haris Rauf came back from his own injury. We'll be back for the 3rd T20I on the 28th in Cardiff. Tomorrow is a big Sunday and do join us for the big IPL final. For now, cheers and bye..

Jos Buttler | Player of the Match: We got huge amount out of it (the match). First and foremost, win the game, that's what we wanted. That's a big tick in the box. A great performance from everybody. (On his own batting) You always want to be playing well. Feel like I am hitting the ball well, which is great. Nice to play well today. (On Archer) He was brilliant, you can see the emotions. Taking wickets again for England, it's fantastic. You got to temper the expectations, it's a long time, he's not going to be the Jofra Archer of old straightaway. But, a really positive performance. It's trying to absolutely want to get games into him but look after him as well. The whole bowling group was brilliant. Rash (Rashid) has been like that for a long time. Those two overs from Chris Jordan at the death were outstanding.

Babar Azam: It was a par score, our bowlers bowled very well. In the batting, there were moments, but we didn't finish well. Small partnership between me and Fakhar and later on, there was no big partnership. If someone got 40 and 50s, it could have been different. We are flexible, everyone knows their role. We have decided each player's role. If you are not in good form, we are flexible. The way Fakhar dominated after wickets fell ... if me and Fakhar had batted for three more overs, it would have been a different ball game. (On Imad Wasim) He is experienced, he knows how to bowl at different situations and how read the batsman. He's a very clever bowler. In the batting, he has improved a lot, so good for us. Shadab is one of the best players, batting, bowling and especially fielding. He'll come back. We announced the team (for WC), we are giving confidence.

17:54 Local Time, 16:54 GMT, 22:24 IST: A decent effort in the end, but England were always ahead, especially after a superb first 4 overs which saw Pakistan lose both openers and struggle to force the pace. Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman gave hope with a brisk 28-ball 53-run stand for the third wicket, but England kept chipping away with wickets and kept Pakistan pegged back. Zaman's 45 was impressive, Iftikhar and Imad made useful 20s, but both fell in the quest of quick runs and the chase was frittered away. Moeen bowled with the new ball and took 2 wickets, Jofra was impressive after a tough first over, Topley enjoyed himself with 3 scalps and Jordan was outstanding, both with the ball and in the field. This was the 8th international game at this venue and this is the 8th time that the team batting first has turned victorious. 

Topley to Shaheen Afridi, out Caught by Philip Salt!! England win by 23 runs. Slower ball outside off and Shaheen swung with all his might, was looking at the bigger boundary, he doesn't have the power behind the shot and Salt runs in from deep mid-wicket, slides and completes a fine catch. Shaheen Afridi c Philip Salt b Topley 9(11)

Topley to Shaheen Afridi, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Topley to Shaheen Afridi, 2 runs, full and following Shaheen as he backed away, a big swing and a big inside edge onto the pad, rolled towards mid-wicket and they're back for the second

Reece Topley [3.0-0-39-2] is back into the attack

Jordan to Shaheen Afridi, 1 run, low full-toss from Jordan, squeezed down to long-off for a single

Jordan to Haris Rauf, 1 run, the slower short ball now, Rauf is through with the shot, it catches the toe-end and rolls to the off-side

Jordan to Haris Rauf, 2 runs, low full-toss as Jordan went for the yorker, drilled down the ground and it needed a big dive from Archer to prevent the boundary

Haris Rauf, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Jordan to Amir, out Bowled!! Jordan has a wicket, he's deserved this and he does a little jig in celebration - was the slower ball at the stumps, Amir moved right across, he's beaten for pace, was through with the paddle early and watches the ball crash into the middle-stump. Amir b Jordan 5(3) [4s-1]

Jordan to Amir, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!

Jordan to Shaheen Afridi, 1 run, the wide yorker now - Shaheen shuffles across on the scoop, gets into a tangel and inside halves it to short fine, he's going nowhere, but Amir came charging and Shaheen has to go across for the single

Jordan to Shaheen Afridi, no run, Shaheen has been given OUT LBW, but he's reviewed it - missed a juicy full-toss, but was he struck outside leg? Looks close the naked eye, no bat and UltraEdge confirms it. Onto ball-tracking: The impact is indeed outside leg and the decision will be reversed. He had backed away slightly and that saved him

Jofra Archer to Shaheen Afridi, 1 run, fuller length delivery at the stumps, driven down to long-on for a single

Jofra Archer to Amir, 1 run, the yorker from Archer, followed Amir aqs he backed away, driven square past point for a single

Jofra Archer to Amir, FOUR, nicely played, back of a length and just outside off - Amir hops across, opens the face of the bat and then runs it past the keeper for a boundary

Mohammad Amir, left handed bat, comes to the crease