England beat Pakistan by 23 runs in second T20 as Jofra Archer takes two wickets on return and Jos Buttler smashes 84 from 51 balls; Buttler's side lead four-match series 1-0 after Wednesday's opener in Leeds washed out; teams are preparing for June's T20 World Cup in West Indies and USA
Sunday 26 May 2024 08:47, UK
Jofra Archer marked his first England appearance in over a year with two wickets and a batting cameo as his side beat Pakistan by 23 runs in the second T20 international at Edgbaston.
The fast bowler (12no off 4) first clubbed a four and six from the No 9 spot in the final over as England posted 183-7, before recording figures of 2-28 from a quick and skilful four overs after his first was crunched for 15 as Pakistan were rolled for 160 in reply.
Archer had last played for England in Bangladesh in March 2023 - he missed the whole of the following summer due to an elbow issue - with his expected comeback in the first T20 at Headingley on Wednesday wrecked by the rain.
He returned in Birmingham on Saturday afternoon, though, for his first England fixture at home since 2020, with his comeback, during which he reached speeds in excess of 90mph, a real fillip ahead of next month's T20 World Cup defence.
Archer had Azam Khan (11) caught at cover at the start of his second over, before Imad Wasim (22 off 13) clothed a yorker to a fielder in a similar spot in his fourth as Pakistan's chase petered out.
Captain Jos Buttler's 84 off 51 deliveries was another high point for England, who will now look to wrap up a series win in Cardiff on Tuesday before the final game at The Kia Oval on Thursday.
Archer had a watching brief to start with after England were inserted by Pakistan and saw his side reach 144-2 inside 15 overs thanks principally to Buttler's 23rd T20 international fifty but also a 23-ball 37 from Will Jacks.
However, the hosts then lost five wickets for 25 runs as a clutch of batters scuffed to the fielders on the fence, meaning Archer's late boundaries were a welcome addition to the total.
England's batting largely fired early on with Jacks and Buttler sharing a stand of 71 from 42 balls for the second wicket after the exit of Phil Salt (13 off 9).
Jacks' two sixes, both nailed down the ground, left the Sky Sports commentators purring, while Buttler struck a remarkable maximum over extra-cover with a reverse sweep off the expensive Shadab Khan (0-55).
Jonny Bairstow (21 off 18) chipped in, too, but his dismissal - caught at deep backward square of Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-36) - triggered the middle-order malaise, with Harry Brook (1) bowled trying to cut a straight ball from economical left-arm spinner Imad (2-19), and Moeen Ali (4), Buttler and Chris Jordan (3) falling to seamers.
Archer, though, carved Mohammad Amir for four over deep third from the first ball he faced and then sent the left-arm quick for six over long-on to end England's innings with a flourish.
Archer was on the receiving end of some big hitting as he stepped up to bowl the sixth over of the Pakistan innings, creamed back over his head by Babar Azam (32 off 26), before Fakhar Zaman (45 off 21) whipped him for four and six into the leg-side.
The England paceman had a beaming smile across his face one ball into his second over, the 12th of the innings, as his dismissal of Azam left Pakistan 91-5, which became 100-6 in the 13th when Liam Livingstone had Fakhar pouched at long-on.
Babar and Fakar plundered 53 from 28 balls in partnership for the third wicket after the quick dismissals of Mohammad Rizwan (0) and Saim Ayub (2) to Moeen (2-26) and Reece Topley (3-41) respectively, with Fakhar clubbing the first three legal balls he faced, bowled by Topley, to the boundary.
Once Moeen broke that stand by pinning Babar lbw on the sweep, Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals, including Shadab (3) to leg-spinner Adil Rashid, until an alliance of 40 from 21 balls between Imad and Iftikhar (23 off 17) gave England some jitters.
Iftikhar fell at the end of the 16th over - seventh out as Jordan took a splendid swirling catch after the batter had ballooned a Topley delivery into the sky - and a requirement of 44 from the final four overs proved too tough an ask for the away side.
Archer capped his day with the wicket of Imad, snuffing out Pakistan's hopes of victory and showing just what England have been missing, not just over the last 12 months but over frequent injury lay-offs for the the Barbados-born seamer since he burst onto the international scene in 2019.
Former England captain Eoin Morgan on Sky Sports:
"Jofra will gain a huge amount of confidence. He spoke earlier about combining performances with getting game time under his belt.
"He started expensive, but bounced back really well - he looked in fine rhythm, looked fit and his pace was up, with his variations towards the end.
"When you've been out for so long, the lack of trust in your own body means it takes a huge amount of guts and courage to go out there and go through your full repertoire.
"Very impressed with England as a whole and, in particular, Archer. It's a great sign for cricket fans around the world - although not necessarily batters."
Sky Sports' Nasser Hussain on player of the match Jos Buttler:
"Buttler is a freak.
"I was asked right before a ball was bowled, what do England need to get out of these three games? A win, clarity of thought processes and Buttler in nick with his batting and leading from the front.
"If Jos can bat well at a World Cup, that will go a long way to England doing well."
England and Pakistan meet in two further T20 internationals before the T20 World Cup - in Cardiff on Tuesday and at The Kia Oval on Thursday, with both matches starting at 6.30pm.
England's T20 World Cup opener is against Scotland in Barbados on Tuesday June 4 (3.30pm start), while Pakistan get under way against co-hosts USA in Dallas on Thursday June 6 (4.30pm).
