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Pakistan speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi emphasised the importance of their series before the upcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies.
Pakistan bounced back and clinched a 2-1 T20I series win over Ireland. Before the marquee event kicks off in June, Pakistan will play against England in a four-match T20I series. The Babar Azam-led side will certainly have high spirits after the win as they continue to gear up and find the right combination. "For us, before the World Cup, it's important to have these games to ready ourselves and there are a few areas to improve," Afridi said, as quoted from the ICC. In the third T20I, Pakistan captain Babar Azam forged a 139-run stand with Mohammad Rizwan (56) for the second wicket. Their partnership laid the foundation for Pakistan's success after Saim Ayub failed to provide an ideal start for the team. "They're both world-class players (Babar and Rizwan); they know how to play their role and they have done really well on this pitch," Shaheen added. During his exemplary outing with the bat, Babar smashed four sixes and six fours in his 75 off 42 deliveries. His standout performance and partnership with Rizwan kept the pressure off Pakistan throughout the chase of 179. "We had good communication in the middle because we have played a lot of cricket together; we were trying to play on our strengths and the aim was to match with the run rate," Babar said. "Lots of positives for us to take and we were able to execute our plans. We have a big tournament coming up and this is good practice; we are now looking forward to the England series," Babar added. After the conclusion of their three-match series against Ireland, Pakistan will travel to England. This will be the final opportunity for Pakistan to find the combination that they desire before the World Cup. The four-match T20I series will begin on May 22 at Headingley Carnegie. Both teams will play the final match of the series on May 30 at The Oval, London. (ANI)
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