Archer takes two wickets in England’s T20 return win over Pakistan

Birmingham, England: Pace bowler Jofra Archer picked up two wickets on his long-awaited return to international cricket to help England beat Pakistan by 23 runs in a Twenty20 match at Edgbaston on Saturday.

It was Archer’s first international appearance in 14 months, with him not having played for his country on English soil since 2020 due to several years of injury.

He recovered from being dropped for 15 in the first over to finish with 2-28 and help England dismiss Pakistan for 160 despite them chasing 184.

England’s score of 183 for 7 was largely down to a blistering half-century from captain Jos Buttler, who hit three sixes to reach 84 before his loss of 25 runs for the fifth wicket gave Pakistan a fighting chance.

Fakhar Zaman scored 45 off 21 balls to give Pakistan a strong start to their chase, while Reece Topley took three wickets while Moeen Ali and Archer claimed two wickets each.

They kick-started England’s T20 World Cup preparations with a win after Wednesday’s game in Leeds was abandoned.

Buttler resisted the temptation to open with Archer and opted for Ali, which paid off when Mohammed Rizwan got Liam Livingstone out at midwicket for a duck.

England were ahead when Topley caught Saim Ayub in the second over but Fakhar was called into bat.

Fakhar smashed Ali over the slips with his first delivery and then scored four runs off all his first five balls.

As Archer was handed the ball, Fakhar reminded him how brutal international cricket can be.

Babar Azam smashed Archer’s second ball over his head for four before Fakhar hit a ramp shot for six as Pakistan ended the powerplay at 55 for two.

With the match hanging in the balance, Buttler turned to Ali and Adil Rashid to silence the mostly Pakistani crowd.

Ali pinned Babar lbw to claim the crucial wicket for 32 and Rashid backed it up by dismissing Shadab Khan.

Pakistan reached the mid-way point at 80-4 but Archer came to his aid. His first delivery of the second innings was bowled high and clocked 90 mph (145 kph) to get wicketkeeper Azam Khan out, who passed it to Ali at cover.

England’s advantage strengthened when Fakhar’s fine innings ended when he smashed a Livingstone ball back to the onrushing Harry Brook at mid-on.

Archer again bowled one over and took the wicket of Imad Wasim.

Shaheen Afridi slog-swept Phil Salt to leave Topley with figures of 3-41 and his job was done.

Pakistan captain Babar left England in the batting position and waited for Archer to bowl, but Buttler showed his intention with two fierce fours down the ground in Shaheen’s second over.

Left-arm spinner Imad was introduced early and got Salt out cheaply, but Will Jacks joined forces with Buttler to take 15 off Haris Rauf, including the first sumptuous six of the day.

Jacks impressed alongside Buttler, scoring 71 but Rauf completed a fine knock with 37 to deny Buttler his maiden T20 fifty.

Buttler had already targeted leg-spinner Shadab by this point and the England captain accelerated after a fine ramp shot from Rauf had brought him to fifty.

Another maximum score from a reverse sweep prompted Shadab to chase 20 runs in the final over, but the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow at 144-2 halted the home side’s momentum.

England then lost five wickets for 25 runs and Archer struck an unlikely 12 not out to take the score to 184 to win, a score that was too much for Pakistan.

England are leading the four-match series 1-0 with the third match set to be played in Cardiff on Tuesday.