Pakistan hand humiliating defeat to England in second T201

Karachi: Pakistan comfortably thrashed England by 10 wickets in the second T20 International played in Karachi on Thursday.

Pakistani openers ended match by hitting boundary in the last over. Pakistan scored 203 in 19.3 overs against England's 199. 

Opneners Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan struck 199-run partnership. Skipper Babar scored 110 runs, while Rizwan struck 88 runs.

Pakistani skipper also became first player to score two centuries in T20Is. 

Azam hammered 110 not out for his second T20I hundred while Rizwan scored an undefeated 88 as the pair completed a chase of 200 in 19.3 overs at a packed National Stadium.

With 1,929 runs together, the Azam-Rizwan partnership has become the most prolific in T20Is, beating Indian stars Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma's record of 1,743 in 51 matches.

Azam and Rizwan have achieved the record in just 36 games.

The win levelled the seven-match series at 1-1 after England won the first game by six wickets, also in Karachi on Tuesday.

Azam, who endured a miserable Asia Cup earlier this month with just 68 runs in six matches, smashed five sixes and 11 fours off 66 balls, while Rizwan struck four sixes and five boundaries in his 51-ball innings.

Azam's hundred came off 62 balls, adding to his 122 against South Africa at Centurion last year.

The pair reached 100 in just 11.2 overs -- their seventh century stand together in T20I cricket.

Rizwan, dropped on 23 by Alex Hales off Liam Dawson, completed his fifty off 30 balls while Azam took 39 deliveries for his half-century.

It was Pakistan's second 10-wicket win in the format following their first against India in last year's T20 World Cup.

The pair also improved on their 197-run opening stand they set against South Africa last year.

Earlier, England's stand-in skipper Moeen Ali struck a rapid half-century to lead his team to 199-5 after they won the toss and batted first.

Moeen smashed four sixes and as many fours in his 23-ball 55 not out.

Ben Duckett (43), Harry Brook (31) and Hales (30) also contributed as England plundered 119 in the last 10 overs.

Moeen hit two towering sixes off pacer Mohammad Hasnain's last two deliveries of the innings.

Fast bowlers Haris Rauf (2-30) and Shahnawaz Dahani (2-37) were the pick of Pakistan bowlers.

England are on their first tour of Pakistan in 17 years.

The next matches are in Karachi on Friday and Sunday.

Pakistan’s batting duo have become the most successful batting partners in T20Is, surpassing India’s Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan.

The Indian pair had scored 1,743 runs in total 52 innings as batting partners, Pakistan’s Babar and Rizwan surpassed them in the 36th inning as batting partners when they took Pakistan’s score to 18 runs in the third over in the second T20I against England.

They have also become the first-ever batting pair in T20Is to amass 1,800 runs as batting partners.

Earlier, England’s stand-in skipper Moeen Ali struck a rapid half-century to lead his team to 199-5 against Pakistan in the second T20 international in Karachi on Thursday.

Moeen smashed four sixes and as many fours in his 23-ball 55 not out after England opted to bat first after winning the toss at the National Stadium.

Ben Duckett (43), Harry Brook (31) and Alex Hales (30) also contributed to the run-fest as England hammered 119 in the last 10 overs.

Moeen hit two towering sixes off pacer Mohammad Hasnain’s last two deliveries of the innings.

England, who are on their first tour of Pakistan in 17 years, won the first game by six wickets, also in Karachi on Tuesday, to take a 1-0 lead in the seven-match series.

-- ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AFP