Phil Salt out first ball as Shaheen Shah Afridi’s powerplay burst reshapes England vs Pakistan Super 8 clash
Why this matters now: England’s chase was hit immediately when phil salt was removed first ball, forcing the Harry Brook-led side to rethink the top-order approach in a 165-run pursuit. Shaheen Shah Afridi’s return and three-wicket powerplay shifted momentum away from England and handed Pakistan control after a 164/9 batting effort that set up a tense Super 8 Group 2 meeting.
Immediate impact on England’s top order and chase planning
Shaheen Shah Afridi’s early strikes mattered because they changed England’s match script inside three overs. The left-arm speedster took three wickets across his allotted overs in the powerplay, removing key early partners and leaving England with an early rebuild requirement in a 165-run chase. The decision by Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha to persist with Shaheen after the second over paid off when Jacob Bethell followed in the third over, compounding England’s early trouble.
Phil Salt: how his dismissal unfolded and what it left England facing
Phil Salt was dismissed on the very first ball of the 165-run chase, a blow that immediately exposed England’s top order. phil salt’s exit was followed in quick succession by Jos Buttler in Shaheen’s second over, who managed just 2 runs off 3 balls, and Jacob Bethell in the third over, who finished 8 off 10. That sequence left England scrambling for stability while Pakistan hunted further breakthroughs.
What Pakistan put on the board before the chase
Earlier, Pakistan posted 164/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Sahibzada Farhan was the standout, scoring 63 off 45 deliveries with 7 fours and 2 sixes. Support came from Babar Azam (25 off 24), Fakhar Zaman (25 off 16) and Shadab Khan (23 off 11), contributions that combined to produce the 164 total England were set 165 to chase.
Bowling returns and England’s response beyond the Shaheen spell
Aside from Shaheen’s three powerplay wickets, England’s bowling card included Liam Dawson as the team’s most successful bowler with three wickets. Jofra Archer and Jamie Overton each added two scalps to their figures, keeping the match balanced despite Pakistan’s early bowling success with Shaheen.
- Sahibzada Farhan – 63 off 45 (7 fours, 2 sixes)
- Babar Azam – 25 off 24
- Fakhar Zaman – 25 off 16
- Shadab Khan – 23 off 11
- Pakistan total: 164/9 (20 overs)
- England chase target: 165
Here’s the part that matters: Shaheen’s removal of phil salt first ball didn’t just cost a wicket; it forced an immediate strategic pivot for the Harry Brook-led batting lineup in a key Super 8 Group 2 match.
Sequence and selection context around Shaheen Shah Afridi’s return
The left-arm pacer had been left out earlier in the tournament: he was dropped for the Namibia match after being hit to all parts of the ground by Indian batters. He was also not in the playing XI for Pakistan’s first Super 8 contest against New Zealand, though that match was called off due to rain. Management later added Afridi back into the playing group for the important game against the Harry Brook-led side, and he delivered with three wickets in his three overs.
- Timeline (micro):
- Was dropped for the Namibia match after being hit heavily by Indian batters.
- Not part of Pakistan’s first Super 8 XI against New Zealand; that fixture was called off due to rain.
- Returned to the XI for the Super 8 match versus the Harry Brook-led side and took three powerplay wickets.
It’s easy to overlook, but the selection swing—from omitted to match-winner within a short tournament window—underscores how quickly fortunes can flip in this format.
Key takeaways:
- Shaheen Shah Afridi took three wickets in his three overs during the powerplay, including Phil Salt on the first ball of the chase.
- Pakistan posted 164/9, led by Sahibzada Farhan’s 63 off 45 (7 fours, 2 sixes).
- Jos Buttler (2 off 3) and Jacob Bethell (8 off 10) also fell to Shaheen in quick succession.
- Liam Dawson led England’s bowling with three wickets; Jofra Archer and Jamie Overton took two each.
- Shaheen had been omitted earlier in the tournament and was reintroduced for this crucial Super 8 Group 2 match.
The real question now is how England rebuild their chase without their aggressive top-order fulcrum and whether Pakistan can convert the early advantage into a full-match win in this Super 8 encounter.
