England formed world-class death bowling coupled with moments of brilliance in the field to snatch a five-run win in the deciding Twenty20 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and seal the series 2-1. With Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal together, needing 35 off the last five overs, Pakistan were in control but Stuart Broad and Jade Dernbach showed nerves of strengthen to end the tour on a high.
Broad bowled the 16th and 19th overs which cost just four runs apiece and that included a misfield by Jonny Bairstow at long-on in the second to last over which gave away a boundary. Broad removed Akmal, who skied a catch to long-off after missing the first two balls of the 19th over, and Bairstow redeemed himself in the last with a influential throw to Craig Kieswetter which found Shahid Afridi short of his crease.
Dernbach, who bowled the 17th over for six runs, was left with 13 to play with for the last and was in control except when a slower ball looped out short to be called wide. That left Pakistan needing eight off three deliveries but Hammad Azam and Misbah could only muster two singles before a trademark slower ball from Dernbach castled Misbah and set of wild celebrations from the bowler.
The series win, an important result for Broad who is still in his infancy as a captain, will give the England squad a major surge of confidence ahead of their title defence at the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. Their remaining T20s before that competition are all at home, so success in conditions similar - if not identical - to Sri Lanka will have provided a wealth of knowledge particularly for the younger players.
Broad bowled the 16th and 19th overs which cost just four runs apiece and that included a misfield by Jonny Bairstow at long-on in the second to last over which gave away a boundary. Broad removed Akmal, who skied a catch to long-off after missing the first two balls of the 19th over, and Bairstow redeemed himself in the last with a influential throw to Craig Kieswetter which found Shahid Afridi short of his crease.
Dernbach, who bowled the 17th over for six runs, was left with 13 to play with for the last and was in control except when a slower ball looped out short to be called wide. That left Pakistan needing eight off three deliveries but Hammad Azam and Misbah could only muster two singles before a trademark slower ball from Dernbach castled Misbah and set of wild celebrations from the bowler.
The series win, an important result for Broad who is still in his infancy as a captain, will give the England squad a major surge of confidence ahead of their title defence at the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. Their remaining T20s before that competition are all at home, so success in conditions similar - if not identical - to Sri Lanka will have provided a wealth of knowledge particularly for the younger players.
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