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Liam Livingstone celebrated his 50th T20I cap with a stunning performance, scoring 87 off 47 balls to help England level the series 1-1 against Australia in Cardiff on Friday. The decider will be played in Manchester on Sunday.Additionally, he contributed with the ball, taking 2 for 16 in his three overs to restrict Australia.
Chasing a target of 194, England were in trouble at 79 for 3 in the ninth over when Phil Salt misjudged a shot off Matthew Short, sending it to long-on. However, Livingstone and the promising all-rounder Jacob Bethell formed a crucial partnership, adding 90 runs in just 47 balls. Despite a brief scare against Short's off-spin, England reached the target with an over to spare. Bethell, who made his England debut on Wednesday and was mentored by Livingstone at Birmingham Phoenix, played a significant role. He attacked Australia's spinners, including hitting four consecutive boundaries off Adam Zampa. Though Bethell was bowled while reverse-sweeping with 25 runs still needed, Livingstone steered England to victory. Livingstone, tasked with batting at No. 4 in a youthful team, delivered under pressure. He top-scored twice and took five wickets in six overs during the series. He was bowled by Short with scores tied. Australia's 193 was bolstered by Jake Fraser-McGurk's maiden international half-century and Josh Inglis's 42. Australia's bowling attack struggled without Xavier Bartlett and resting Josh Hazlewood. Fraser-McGurk, given a chance at No. 3 after Mitchell Marsh fell ill, capitalized on Australia's fast start. Short (28) and Travis Head (31) hit Reece Topley and Brydon Carse early on. Carse's extra pace dismissed Head, while Fraser-McGurk continued aggressively, even hitting a six off Adil Rashid. Livingstone's tight middle-overs bowling saw Fraser-McGurk and Marcus Stoinis caught at wide long-on by Jamie Overton. Carse, returning from a ban for breaching anti-gambling regulations, took 2 for 26, including Tim David's wicket. Overton's drop of Cameron Green allowed Aaron Hardie to add crucial runs, pushing Australia's total to 193. In England's chase, Phil Salt's (39) initial aggression was tempered by the early dismissals of Will Jacks and Jordan Cox by Sean Abbott. Salt and Livingstone then stabilized the innings before Bethell joined Livingstone in a decisive partnership. Despite a late collapse against Short's five-for, Adil Rashid guided the winning single through point, clinching a memorable victory for England. Brief Scores: Australia 193/6 in 20 overs (Jake Fraser-McGurk 50, Josh Inglis 42, Travis Head 31; Liam Livingstone 2/16) vs England 194/7 in 19 overs (Liam Livingstone 87, Jacob Bethell 44; Matthew Short 5/22, Sean Abbott 2/37). (ANI)
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