England Lions made a strong start to their T20 series with a four-wicket win over Pakistan Shaheens in Abu Dhabi. The match was played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium Nursery One and gave the Lions a 1-0 lead in the series.
Chasing a target of 153 runs, England Lions reached 153 for 6 in 19.1 overs. They finished the game with five balls to spare. The star of the match was Asa Tribe, who scored an unbeaten 64 runs. His innings included six boundaries and one six. He stayed calm under pressure and guided his team to victory.
Pakistan Shaheens had earlier scored 152 for 7 in their 20 overs. Captain Shamyl Hussain led from the front with a solid 57 runs from 39 balls. His knock helped his team post a competitive total. However, the Lions’ bowlers did well to control the scoring in the final overs.
James Coles and Saqib Mahmood were the pick of the bowlers for England Lions. Both players took two wickets each and kept the Shaheens from scoring freely.
During the chase, Pakistan Shaheens made a strong start with the ball. They removed Will Smeed and Lions captain Jordan Cox inside the powerplay. This put early pressure on the visitors. But steady batting in the middle overs helped England recover.
Asa Tribe then took control of the game with smart and confident batting. Even though wickets fell at the other end, he remained focused and finished the match.
With this win, England Lions have gained early momentum in the series. They will now look to continue their good form in the second T20 match at the same venue.