Going out on a high
Hafeez and Haider ensure Pakistan end tour with a win
MANCHESTER: Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez praised teenage debutant Haider Ali’s composure after the pair combined to set up Pakistan’s five-run victory over England in their tour-ending third Twenty20 international at Old Trafford.
It was Pakistan’s first victory in 66 days of being in a bio-secure bubble in England amid the coronavirus and meant they squared the three-match series at 1-1 after a 1-0 loss in last month’s three-Test series.
Hafeez made 86 not out and Haider 54 in Pakistan’s 190-4.
There was a 20-year age gap between the 39-year-old Hafeez and the 19-year-old Haider but one would not have known it while they shared a stand of exactly 100 after coming together at 32-2.
Hafeez’s knock followed his 69 in England’s five-wicket win at Old Trafford on Sunday and was his fourth fifty in his last five T20 international innings.
Haider came in at 2-1 after opener Fakhar Zaman was out for one but demonstrated a maturity well beyond his years during a 28-ball fifty featuring five fours and two sixes.
“He was good under pressure and just expressed himself,” said player of the series Hafeez of Haider in a post-match interview with Sky Sports.
“I was just trying to back him every time, tell him ‘you are playing well, continue like that,’” he added. “It is great to see youngsters coming from our system and performing well.”
England were 69-4 in their chase before Moeen Ali, who should have been stumped by former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed on seven, revived their hopes with 61.
But when veteran paceman Wahab Riaz, in for the injured Mohammad Amir, ran out Chris Jordan and then caught and bowled Moeen, England were 174-8 with seven balls left.
They needed 12 off two balls when Tom Curran hit a six.
But Curran could not repeat the shot when paceman Haris Rauf bowled a last-ball yorker.