England post competitive score

Dubai - Having won the toss, Morgan elected for first use of the track and the Middlesex batsman sprung a surprise or two with his team selection.

 Pakistan were set a target of 161 to chase down for victory against England in the first Twenty20 (T20) international at the Dubai International Stadium here on Thursday night.
The hosts chiseled out three English batsmen comparatively cheaply early on, only for some middle-order resistance from debutant James Vince, skipper Eoin Morgan and Kent's Sam Billings to get the away team up to a relatively competitive 160-5 inside the 'Ring of Fire.'
Having won the toss, Morgan elected for first use of the track and the Middlesex batsman sprung a surprise or two with his team selection.
Hampshire's Vince came in for his debut, whereas in-form wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler and Joe Root were both rested and only named among the substitute fielders.
For Pakistan, opener Rafatullah Mohmand - like Vince - also made his inaugural international appearance in the shortest format, thereby becoming the oldest-ever T20 debutant among Test-playing nations at the advanced age of 39 years and 20 days.
Alex Hales survived two early scares in the middle of the first over from Anwar Ali, who enticed the Nottinghamshire player to swing - and miss - at a ball well outside off stump and then very nearly ran him out following the very next delivery.
Sohail Tanvir duly put down a caught and bowled opportunity off an indecisive, nervy bunt back by Hales, but England still went on to lose their two opening batsmen within three balls of each other.
Jason Roy (9) found Imran Khan at mid-on and Hales (8) edged to Shahid Afridi at mid-off to reward Tanvir and Ali (1-19) respectively for their early endeavours.
Moeen Ali (0) came in and went without troubling the scorers, slapping Tanvir (2-31) to Umar Akmal at cover, and - all of a sudden - England had seen three men perish for as many runs (16-0 to 19-3).
They did a commendable job too, bringing up the 50 after eight and a half overs, and notching a half-century partnership just past the midway point of the tourists' innings.
Nonetheless, with three figures in sight on 95-3 and Vince (41) honing on an initial, individual milestone, he wafted at a Wahab Riaz inswinger (1-33) and paid the price for it.
The 100 was eventually brought up with 31 deliveries left to go and Billings (54) and Morgan (45no) scored at a rate of almost two-runs-a-ball thereafter, with the former reaching his half-century (50no, including five fours and two sixes, off 34 balls) prior to being run out by fellow gloveman Sarfraz Ahmed right at the death.
The second T20 match is scheduled for tonight (Friday, Start: 8pm) at the same venue, with the third installment taking place at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday evening (Start: 8pm).
Pakistan won the best-of-three Test match tussle 2-0, whereas England emerged victorious from the subsequent four-match, one-day international (ODI) series 3-1 earlier this month.
alex@khaleejtimes.com