Jordan heroics help England to Super Over win
Chris Jordan produced a superb display of Super Over bowling to ensure England completed a 3-0 clean sweep of Pakistan in their Twenty20 international series.
Extra deliveries were required in Sharjah on Monday after Pakistan, powered by 75 from Shoaib Malik, finished their innings on 154-7 in response to England’s 154-8.
Jordan had been the most expensive bowler during Pakistan’s chase, returning 0-39, but the paceman excelled in the subsequent Super Over as he conceded just three runs to Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal, who was bowled off the final ball.
Afridi did his best to defend the modest target, but Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler got England home with a delivery to spare – maintaining their unbeaten record in T20s this year.
Pakistan’s defeat was harsh on Shoaib, who looked to have done enough to guide his side to an unlikely victory.
From a perilous position at 65-5, Shoaib accelerated in a stand of 63 with Afridi (29 off 20) and then saw Sohail Tanvir (10 not out) strike a final-over six to leave three required from four balls.
However, Chris Woakes (1-26) followed up his earlier good work with the bat by keeping things tight thereafter, aided by the key wicket of Shoaib when the batsman holed out to long-on.
And Jordan then took centre stage, frequently nailing his yorker to prevent Afridi and Umar from cutting loose in the Super Over.
Another England paceman, David Willey, picked up 3-36 in regulation play, his dismissal of Ahmed Shehzad (4) coming in an eventful first over of Pakistan’s chase that also featured four leg-side wides and another embarrassing run out for Mohammad Hafeez (1).
No touring batsman could match the fluency of Shoaib, who hit eight fours and two sixes, but James Vince battled through to the final over for 46 off 45 deliveries and much more dynamic contributions came from Joe Root (32) and Woakes (37).
After Jason Roy had fallen lbw to the first ball of the match – also Aamer Yamin’s maiden delivery in T20 – Root’s 22-ball innings saw him set a new record for the most international runs (2,131) by an England player in a calendar year.
England lost their way after Afridi (2-19) removed Root and Moeen Ali (0) with successive balls, but Woakes provided much-needed late momentum with three sixes – including one off Anwar Ali that sent the ball out of the ground over long-on and punished the bowler for dropping Woakes at third man from the previous delivery.
