Shaheen Shah Afridi: A 140-run partnership between Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan, both of whom struck half-centuries, to defeat Ireland by seven wickets in the second T20I and tied the series 1-1 here on Sunday. Azam Khan hammered a 10-ball 30 to propel Pakistan to victory as they scored 70-odd runs in the last six overs.
Mohammad Rizwan scored an unbeaten 75 off 46 balls while Fakhar Zaman slammed a 40-ball 78 as Pakistan reached 195/3 in 16.5 overs as they established their strength after they were stunned by Ireland in the first match a couple of days ago. Pakistan had restricted Ireland to 193/7 after electing to bat first on winning the toss.
Rizwan and Zaman came together after Pakistan had slumped to 2-13 after opener Saim Ayub was out for six runs while Babar Azam was sent packing for zero.
Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman raised a century partnership for the third wicket, reaching their half-centuries in the process. Rizwan reached his half-century off 34 runs, hitting four boundaries and three sixes. Fakhar Zaman reached his fifty off 31 balls, studded with three boundaries and four maximums.
Fakhar Zaman was out for 78, caught by Delany off Ben White after hitting the bowler for four and six off success balls to bring down the run-rate to manageable levels. Azam Khan slammed four sixes and a four, hitting three sixes off Mark Adair in the 17th over, capitalising on a no-ball.
The win was set up by the Pakistan bowlers with Shaheen Shah Afridi claiming 3-49 and Abbas Afridi bagging 2-33. Andy Balbirnie, who had hammered a half-century to help Ireland stun Pakistan in the opening T20I, and Paul Stirling could not provide Ireland a good start as the latter fell to Shaheen Shah for 11. From 29/1, they slumped to 34/2 with Shaheen Shah getting him too for 16 runs.
Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector (32) took the score to 96 before Tector was out to Abbas Afridi, hitting four boundaries. Tucker and Curtis Campher (22) took the score to 137 before Campher got out.
Ireland eventually managed to reach 193/7 thanks to a 10-ball 28 as the hosts reached 193/7 in 20 overs, which eventually proved not enough as Pakistan reached the target with 19 balls to spare.
Brief scores:
Ireland 193/7 in 20 overs (Lorcan Tucker 51, Harry Tucker 32; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-49, Abbas Afridi 2-33) lost to Pakistan 195/3 in 16.5 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 75 not out, Fakhar Zaman 78, Azam Khan 30 not out; Ben While 1-39, Mark Adair 1-43) by seven wickets.
