Archer takes two wickets as England beat Pakistan

EDGBASTON (Agencies): Jofra Archer took two wickets in his first international for more than a year as England began their World Cup preparations with a 23-run victory over Pakistan in the second T20 at Edgbaston.

With Pakistan chasing 184, Archer’s opening over went for 15, the pace bowler running into the shot-playing of Fakhar Zaman.

But England’s spinners bowled superbly and Archer later returned to the attack to have Azam Khan caught at cover.

After Fakhar holed out for 45, Iftikhar Ahmed and Imad Wasim kept Pakistan alive – Iftikhar hit a monstrous six off Reece Topley.

They could not attack Archer, who at times bowled in excess of 90mph. He had Imad caught at deep point in figures of 2-28 and Pakistan’s innings wilted to 160 all out.

England had earlier been lifted to 183-7 by 84 from captain Jos Buttler, who could miss part of the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States to be at the birth of his third child.

That total could and should have been more, but Pakistan fought back well at the end of England’s innings to the delight of a partisan crowd in Birmingham. At one stage, England lost five wickets for 25 runs in 25 balls.

The hosts ultimately had enough and lead the series 1-0 after Wednesday’s opening match was washed out. The third game is in Cardiff on Tuesday before the final match at The Oval on Thursday.

Archer shows England what they’ve missed

There will have been times when many, including Archer himself, will have wondered if he would ever play for England again.

The more recent lay-off for an elbow problem kept him out for a year, the latest in a string of injuries. This was his first home international since 2020 and, because of the pandemic, first in front of a crowd in England since the 2019 Ashes.

Introduced in the sixth over, Archer looked every inch his old self, with pace in the high 80s and the crowd chanting his name. Still, Fakhar clipped to mid-wicket for four and scooped for six.

On a two-paced pitch, England’s threat came from spin. Moeen Ali opened the bowling and claimed 2-26 and Adil Rashid, playing for the first time since February, bowled beautifully for 1-25.

Archer was reintroduced in the 12th over and immediately had Azam miscue to Moeen. Archer’s next delivery was a 91.3mph yorker to Iftikhar.

While Fakhar remained, Pakistan had hope. He twice hit massive sixes into the pavilion, but after the second, off Liam Livingstone, the left-hander skied to Harry Brook at long-on.

Even then, Iftikhar and Imad targeted spin, but Archer was a different proposition. His third over, the 15th of the innings, went for only five singles.

After Iftikhar’s huge blow over square leg off Topley, the right-hander hit the ball miles high to Chris Jordan, who held on to his second catch at long-on, showing one of the reasons England have included him in their squad.

With the game as good as done, Archer was recalled for his final over and Imad guided a full toss straight to deep point. England, so poor at the 50-over World Cup in the autumn, suddenly have an attack looking all the more potent.

Buttler shines before England stutter

Buttler made two centuries at the Indian Premier League and this innings showed his form going into the World Cup after the skipper endured a poor 50-over tournament in the autumn.

With lightning-fast hands, supreme power and ingenious creativity, Buttler played shots all around the wicket, wowing a packed Edgbaston bathed in sunshine.

One of his three sixes was a scooped six off the pace of Haris Rauf, another an outrageous reverse sweep off the leg-spin of Shadhab Khan that was nailed over the point fence.

The captain added 71 with Will Jacks and 48 with Jonny Bairstow, who both looked in good touch for 37 and 21 respectively.

It was Bairstow’s dismissal, via a catch at deep square leg off a Shaheen Afridi short ball, that signalled England’s deceleration.

Brook, playing for England for the first time since December, was bowled by impressive left-arm spinner Imad for one, Buttler clothed Haris to long-on and both Moeen and Jordan holed out off Shaheen.

Archer, inevitably, added some late flair. He slapped his first ball for four and lofted Mohammad Amir for six in making 12 off four deliveries, but England found the boundary only four times in the final five overs.