On a perfect autumnal evening for T20 cricket, the sinking sun turning the grass fluorescent before the floodlights took over, Pakistan won a humdinger, albeit decorated with a little Moeen Ali magic.
An unchanged England had won the toss and chased after Pakistan had charged to a reputable 190 for four, decorated by a fancy-dan debut from Haider Ali and more grizzled ruthlessness from Mohammad Hafeez to the sound of drumming and horn from Pakistan’s two most loyal fans parked outside the Old Trafford gates.
Light roller applied, plus a spot of dusting from the groundsman’s broom, the England innings had lasted all of three balls before Shaheen Afridi yorked Jonny Bairstow for a duck with a 90mph delivery arriving from out of the blackness of the Statham end, his off stump flying, the flashing bails as scolding as a teacher’s red pen.
He greeted the incoming Tom Banton with the words, “I didn’t see it.” Not reassurance, exactly, but then Banton is not the type to need a warm flannel and a consoling arm. He sniffed and slammed Imad Wasim for three boundaries in four balls.
Hiccups continued. Dawid Malan swept Imad Wasim into the ink where Fakhar Zaman plucked the ball with both hands just shy of the rope; Eoin Morgan was run out by a combination of stonewalling from Banton and a lightning pick up and throw from Babar Azam. Then Banton himself was caught with his legs in front by Haris Rauf, whose wide-legged appeal was reminiscent of Shoaib Akhtar at his pomp.
Sam Billings and Moeen scuffled for runs, not finding the boundary with reassuring enough frequency and with a slightly panicked air until Moeen laid into Shaheen with a nonchalant six to a ball out of the slot, whipped over mid-off. Billings had a wild swing and was caught at third man, but on Moeen charged. Suddenly in form, suddenly fluent with that bit of magic in his palms. Three sixes in four balls followed off Shadab Khan, and brought up a 25-ball fifty. But, fast running out of partners, he was caught and bowled by Wahab Riaz and that was that.
If Haider Ali was at all nervous on his international debut, there was nothing about his persona on the pitch that showed it. Just 19 years old, he started playing hard ball cricket in 2016, made his first-class debut in September and has only eight first-class games under his belt.
A frown of a moustache visible through his helmet, he lolloped to the crease after Moeen Ali had bowled Fakhar with enough zip to flip the bails up to the air, his first wicket of the summer. Haider eyed up Moeen and second ball he bowed the front knee and slammed him soaring over long-on for six.
Ian Bishop had previously pointed out a similarity between Haider and Babar. Babar showed his hand in the next over by toasting Saqib Mahmood for three consecutive fours but by the time he was bowled for 21, the ball zigging off a perfect seam, Haider was in. Now he was the master.
And on it went, wristy sixes on the legside, style on the offside, quick singles. Adil Rashid’s first ball was slipped behind square; a six soared over Sam Billings stranded in no-man’s land in front of the deep midwicket boundary. Nothing out of the noughties play book, just classical, or old fashioned slog.
When eventually he was bowled by Chris Jordan, brought back on an Eoin Morgan hunch, a smile crossed his face as he was patted on the head by Hafeez as he walked past the non-striker’s end. He had done enough – another starlet from the Pakistan production line.
Hafeez, who may be 20 years older but who smacks his lips at this England bowling, and made 69 glorious runs on Sunday, returned with a six-heavy unbeaten 86 off only 52 balls to become the oldest player in history to make back to back T20 fifties. Full toss? Pah! He slammed Tom Curran over the stands. Leg-spin? Lunchtime! Rashid was pummelled just short of the executive boxes in the pavilion.
After so long in the biobubble, a sweet victory for Pakistan to fly home with.