PAK vs ENG: Three English players who excelled in the 5th T20I
The Lahore leg of the seven-match T20I series between England and Pakistan kicked off with a nail-biting encounter between the two teams. The visitors won the toss and invited the Men in Green to bat first. Pakistan put in a shambolic performance and was bowled out for 145 with an over left.
The target seemed like a walk in the park for the destructive English batting lineup until the Pakistani bowlers pulled a rabbit out of the hat. The hosts were phenomenal in the bowling department and contained England for 139, winning the match by 6 runs and taking a 3-2 lead in the series.
On that note, let's look at 3 English players who performed exceptionally well in the 5th T20I.
#3 Sam Curran
Sam Curran was impressive in the bowling department, ending his spell with bowling figures of 2/23. He got the wickets of Aamer Jamal and Mohammad Rizwan - who was also named the Player of the Match for his outstanding knock of 63 off 46 balls.
The 24-year-old also came in handy with his batting skills. He scored 17 runs off 11 balls at a strike rate of 154.55, stitching together a partnership of 23 runs with Moeen Ali.
#2 Mark Wood
Mark Wood has only played two matches in the series against Pakistan, but he has made his presence felt in both matches. On Wednesday, the English quick managed bowling figures of 3/20 at an economy rate of 5.00.
He got three crucial scalps of Babar Azam, Haider Ali and Asif Ali. Wood's searing pace has troubled Pakistani batters. The 32-year-old has made excellent use of short balls and has often caught them off guard with his line and length.
#1 Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali played the captain's knock against Pakistan in the 5th T20I. He played an anchor role as wickets continued to fall from the other end. With him at the crease, there was always hope for the visitors that he could get them over the line.
Moeen remained not out until the end of the innings and was the top scorer from his side. The English skipper scored 51 runs off 37 balls at a strike rate of 137.84.