England secured a commanding seven-wicket win against Pakistan in the fourth T20 international at The Oval on Thursday, clinching the rain-affected series 2-0 just ahead of the T20 World Cup next week.
Jos Buttler, back in the lineup after the birth of his third child, won the toss and chose to bowl under overcast skies that favored England’s fast bowlers.
Mark Wood reached speeds of 154 kph (96 mph) in his opening spell, while Jofra Archer, returning to the team, also displayed impressive pace. Despite this, Pakistan’s openers Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam gave their team a strong start, reaching 59-0.
However, Babar (36) was dismissed on the last ball of the powerplay, and Rizwan (23) fell shortly after, triggering a collapse that left Pakistan at 86-5. Spinner Adil Rashid (2-27) played a key role in tightening England’s grip on the game.
Usman Khan (38), replacing the out-of-form Saim Ayub, offered some resistance to boost his World Cup prospects, but Pakistan’s final total of 157 was below par.
In response, Phil Salt (45) and Buttler (39) laid a solid foundation for England, smashing 78 runs in the first six overs. Both fell to the impressive Haris Rauf (3-38), who also dismissed Will Jacks (20) after a huge six.
Jonny Bairstow (28 not out) and Harry Brook (17 not out) guided England to a comfortable victory, with Brook sealing the win with a six in the 16th over.
Buttler praised the “good feeling in the squad” ahead of England’s T20 World Cup title defense, starting against Scotland in Bridgetown on Tuesday. He and player of the match Rashid highlighted the excitement of having Wood and Archer, both returning from injuries, bowling together.
Thursday’s match was the final game for both teams before departing for the United States and West Indies. Pakistan, who begin their World Cup campaign against the U.S. in Dallas on June 6, showed promise but need to address their middle-over collapses, according to captain Babar Azam.
“In the middle overs, we collapsed… that’s what we’re trying to improve,” Babar noted. “In the middle overs we need to step up.”
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