Liam Dawson's heroics in vain as Pakistan win three-run thriller to level T20 series

• Pakistan vs England, fourth T20 full scoreboard

• England fall just short in topsy-turvy run chase

• Dawson hits 24 off Hasnain over to give tourists hope

• Rizwan struck superb 88 in Pakistan's 166

Now this series has had everything. An emotional return, a hundred for the Pakistan captain, a breakthrough innings by a young Englishman and, to cap it all, a thrilling finish that fell Pakistan’s way to give a joyous sell-out crowd the result they craved.

Pity those with little confidence in their team who streamed out of the exits after Liam Dawson had spanked 24 off the 18th over from Mohammad Hasnain to put England within nine of victory with 12 balls to go and three wickets in hand.

Dawson, the unlikeliest of heroes, scored more in one over off Hasnain than he had managed in 10 T20s for England across six years, hitting one six and four fours. “It took everyone by surprise,” said coach Matthew Mott.

The man from Goatacre, the archetypal understated county pro, was having his moment, batting like Jos Buttler to put England on the cusp of an unlikely victory after they had slumped to 113 for six – all specialist batsmen gone – chasing 167 to win.

Dawson treated Haris Rauf’s first ball with disdain, smacking one of the world’s quickest bowlers for four, but with the target down to five off 10 he tried to repeat the shot only to lob a catch to midwicket, out for 34 off 17 to expose the tailenders to Rauf’s pace.

Rauf bowled Olly Stone first ball and speared in a 97mph yorker at last man Reece Topley, who missed it but scampered a leg bye. He was on strike for the start of the final over bowled by Mohammad Wasim. England tried to pinch a single first ball, Adil Rashid just getting back in his ground at the non-striker’s end.

Topley connected a little better to the next one, dropping it on the leg side but Shan Masood ran in from mid-on,. Topley dived but in vain as the stumps lit up red; Pakistan winning by three runs with four balls to go to level the series.

Dawson was consoled by his team-mates, some patting him on the back, others putting their arms around him as he looked totally distraught, the cruelty of cricket summed up in his rollercoaster ten minutes.

“Amazing game of cricket. It kept swinging and the crowd were electric,” said Moeen Ali, the England captain. “Daws’ batting was outstanding – he had a brilliant game. I’m really pleased for him but I’m sad he couldn’t get us over the line. We feel like we should have won, needing nine off two overs with three wickets remaining, but it can happen; pressure happens.”

Pakistan’s total looked under par, their batting stymied by England’s accuracy and a lack of ambition from the top three. “We want sixer” urged the stadium DJ who had to work hard to whip up the crowd because it had not been the run-fest they wanted after Pakistan won the toss on a pitch where they cracked 200 without losing a wicket on Thursday.

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan passed 2,000 runs together in T20 cricket, the first pair to do so, and looked in superb touch again as they put on 52 in the first six overs.

But it was a false start, the boundaries dried up and timing became harder under the lights. Babar was caught at deep midwicket off Dawson in the 12th over with 97 on the board, a good launchpad you would think.

This was a chance for Pakistan to show some fluidity and send in one of the middle-order biffers to build on the start but instead Masood came out in his designated slot at No 3.

Masood needs time find his touch, and does not have the gears to really punish a team. He was dropped on three by Alex Hales at long on but it did England a favour because Masood chewed up balls when Rizwan needed a partner to take the initiative.

Masood and Rizwan laboured to 52 off 40 balls for the second wicket with only three boundaries. Rashid conceded just one boundary in four tidy overs – a straight six by Rizwan.

Pakistan scored only four fours, and that six, between overs eight and 18, and the crowd cheered when Masood was out leg before to end the pain. Asif Ali slapped two sixes in the final over to prove a point – he should have come in earlier, not Masood.

A good start would put England in control but they had a poor powerplay and were 29 for three after six overs.

Harry Brook looked good again as he rebuilt first with Ben Duckett, putting on 43 in 32 balls, and then with Moeen, who hit the biggest six of the series so far when he lofted Mohammad Nawaz over long on as England took 19 off the 10th over. At the halfway stage England had the same number of runs – 82 – as Pakistan but were four down.

Moeen was bowled trying to heave Nawaz to leg and Brook was caught at fine leg with 54 still needed off 5.4 overs, as the match turned again.

David Willey was bowled middle stump for 11 off 10, but Dawson did not give up. As the 18th over started England needed 33, Dawson lofted the first ball for six over long off. The next was late cut for four and was a no-ball, the free hit going over midwicket for a one-bounce four.

The next was a slow long hop drilled for four and a full toss was whipped off his toes through midwicket to the boundary. Hasnain conceded only one off the final two balls but Dawson had strike and the fans upped and left, the National Stadium stunned into silence.

Then came Rauf, a final-over thriller and the series level at 2-2 going to Lahore where it resumes on Wednesday. Pakistan’s ancient city has a lot to live up to after an unforgettable week in Karachi.

Pakistan vs England, fourth T20 – as it happened

07:22 PM

Moeen Ali’s verdict

07:03 PM

Pakistan 2-2 England

After all that, the series is level with three games to play in Lahore. For drama, this was by far the best game of the four.

07:02 PM

England 163 all out

Topley run out 0 Topley played tip and run and was beaten by a direct hit from silly mid-on by the substitute Mohammad Haris. Pakistan celebrated wildly while Liam Dawson, who took England so close, held his head in his hands. Pakistan won the game, lost the game and then won it again, this time for keeps.

07:00 PM

PAKISTAN WIN BY THREE RUNS!

Topley is run out and Pakistan have won a classic!

07:00 PM

OVER 19.1: ENG 163/9 (Rashid 3 Topley 0)

Topley defends the first ball and Rashid is almost run out backing up!

06:59 PM

Mohammad Wasim to bowl the final over

This is it.

06:59 PM

OVER 19: ENG 163/9 (Rashid 3 Topley 0)

Rashid is beaten by another sizzling delivery from Rauf. England need four to win, and Topley is on strike. In the England dugout, Liam Dawson is furious with himself.

06:58 PM

Topley is not out

Forget it, it was missing leg by miles. England ran a leg bye so they need four from seven balls.

06:57 PM

LBW review for the hat-trick!

Topley is hit on the boot by a blistering yorker. It's given not out on the field but they've reviewed it, of course they have. This is close but I reckon it will umpire's call.

06:56 PM

Wicket!

Stone b Rauf 0 Bowled him first ball! It was too fast, too straight, too much from Haris Rauf, and Olly Stone lost his off stump. He could win this game with a hat-trick! FOW: 162/9

06:55 PM

Wicket!

Dawson c sub b Rauf 34 Dawson is out with five needed to win! He pulled Rauf for four but tried to repeat the stroke and picked out midwicket. It was a sensational knock, 34 from 17 balls, but he hasn't quite taken England to victory and he is livid as he walks off. FOW: 162/8

06:52 PM

OVER 18: ENG 158/7 (Dawson 30 Rashid 3)

I do not believe this. Liam Dawson has just hit Mohammad Hasnain for 24 runs in an over!

Hasnain's first ball is launched spectacularly over mid-off for six by Dawson. What a shot! The next ball is steered past short third man for four - and it's a no-ball as well. Dawson pings the free hit for four more, which makes it 15 from two legitimate deliveries!

Hasnain panicks and bowls a wide short ball that is glided for another boundary, and now England - who needed 33 from 18 balls at the start of the over - need 14 from 15. Make that 10 from 14 when Dawson flicks another boundary through square leg.

The penultimate delivery is a reverse inswinger that Dawson defends, and he steals a single off the last delivery to keep the strike. That was an astonishing over.

06:45 PM

OVER 17: ENG 134/7 (Dawson 7 Rashid 3)

This is all over bar the tweeting. England, with three wickets remaining, need 33 from the last three overs.

06:43 PM

Wicket!

Willey b Rauf 11 Bowled him! Willey reverse-ramped Rauf for consecutive boundaries - and then he was punished for his effrontery by a sizzling yorker that thudded into middle stump. FOW: 130/7

06:40 PM

OVER 16: ENG 122/6 (Willey 3 Dawson 6)

England have a relatively long tail, with Olly Stone at No10, so this pair will have to do most of the work if they are to pull off an improbable win. A brilliant, boundaryless over from Hasnain, which ends with Willey being knocked off his feet by a yorker, has made it even more unlikely. England need 45 from 24 balls.

06:34 PM

OVER 15: ENG 116/6 (Willey 2 Dawson 2)

Both teams have noticeably struggled to time the ball as the innings has progressed. Pakistan scored 38 runs from overs 11-15; England managed 34.

06:30 PM

Wicket!

Brook c Hasnain b Wasim 34 Mohammad Wasim has taken the big wicket! Harry Brook got down on one knee to pull Wasim round the corner, but it went straight to Hasnain at fine leg. Pakistan are strong favourites now. FOW: 113/6

06:27 PM

OVER 14: ENG 108/5 (Brook 30 Willey 1)

Nawaz ends an eventful evening's work with figures of 4-0-35-3. England need 59 off 36 balls.

06:24 PM

Wicket!

Ali b Nawaz 29 A huge wicket for Pakistan! Mohammad Nawaz, whose last over went for 19, has bowled Moeen Ali at a crucial time. It was a good piece of bowling - he saw Moeen coming and held the ball back just enough for it to beat Moeen's smear across the line and hit middle stump. FOW: 106/5

06:21 PM

OVER 13: ENG 105/4 (Brook 28 Ali 29)

A beautiful shot from Moeen, who makes room to drive Iftikhar through extra cover for four. The timing and placement were immaculate. Five singles make it another decent over for England, nine from it. They need 62 from 42 balls.

06:17 PM

OVER 12: ENG 96/4 (Brook 25 Ali 23)

Haris Rauf replaces Nawaz, who was manhandled in the previous over. Brook makes room to drive, misses and is relieved that the ball whistles past leg stump. A quiet over becomes a good one for England when Moeen pulls the last delivery round the corner for four. Wasim (I think) ran round the boundary but couldn't see the ball and ended up shielding his face as it bounced past him.

06:12 PM

OVER 11: ENG 87/4 (Brook 23 Ali 16)

Another tidy over from Iftikhar - five singles, one dot ball. England need 80 from 54 balls.

06:05 PM

OVER 10: ENG 82/4 (Brook 20 Ali 14)

Brook charges Nawaz and lifts the most glorious six over extra cover. "That is utterly... splendiforous!" says Mark Butcher on commentary.

This is the big over that England desperately needed. Moeen gets his first boundary with a sweep round the corner, and then drives a monstrous six over long on. Nineteen from the over.

06:01 PM

OVER 9: ENG 63/4 (Brook 12, Ali 3)

Moeen spoons Iftikhar over extra cover, is almost run out from the same delivery and accidentally trips Iftikhar while scrambling to make his ground. That aside, the delivery was a non-event.

England are struggling to go after the spinners, and have scored just 13 runs from the last three overs. Pakistan are well on top.

05:58 PM

OVER 8: ENG 59/4 (Brook 10, Ali 1)

Duckett played pretty well, making 33 from 24 balls. Incidentally, that ball from Iftikhar in the previous over did hit Brook's off stump without dislodging the bails, so he has had two lives now.

Meanwhile, the new batsman Moeen Ali is beaten by his first two deliveries. The net is closing around England.

05:53 PM

Wicket!

Duckett LBW b Nawaz 33 Duckett misses a sweep off the left-arm spinner Nawaz and is given out LBW. He's going to review it, and he might just have got outside the line.

Erm, no he didn't: replays show he was hit in line, and that the ball would have gone on to hit middle stump. England are in bother. FOW: 57/4

05:51 PM

OVER 7: ENG 55/3 (Duckett 31 Brook 10)

Iftikhar Ahmed comes on to bowl some offspin. Brook misses a reverse lap and is this close to being bowled. It might even have hit the stumps without dislodging the bails. Either way, that's a good start from Iftikhar - three from it.

05:45 PM

OVER 6: ENG 50/3 (Duckett 27 Brook 9)

Harry Brook is dropped off Haris Rauf's first ball! It was a simple chance to Mohammad Nawaz at extra cover, two-handed at neck height, but he put it down. On current form, Brook is the last player you'd want to drop. He gets his first boundary later in the over with a beautiful cover drive.

05:41 PM

OVER 5: ENG 42/3 (Duckett 25 Brook 4)

Duckett hits Wasim for three successive boundaries: a swipe over mid-on, a thump down the ground and then a tennis shot back over the bowler's head. Excellent stuff.

05:36 PM

OVER 4: ENG 27/3 (Duckett 12 Brook 2)

Brook opens the face to glide Hasnain towards third man, where the sprawling Wasim does very well to save three runs. Duckett then misses a premeditated scoop, digs out a cracking yorker and finally angles a boundary between backward point and short third man. That was a superb shot because the ball from Hasnain followed him.

05:31 PM

OVER 3: ENG 21/3 (Duckett 7 Brook 1)

Duckett flashes Mohammad Wasim's first ball past backward point for four, and a few singles make it seven from the over. England need to regroup for 10-15 minutes.

05:27 PM

OVER 2: ENG 14/3 (Duckett 1 Brook 0)

That was the last ball of the over.

05:26 PM

Wicket!

Jacks b Hasnain 0 Knocked him over! Jacks misses a whip across the line at a ball that beats him for pace, keeps fractionally low and sends the bails flying. Pakistan are on one, as only Pakistan can be. FOW: 14/3

05:23 PM

Wicket!

Hales c Qadir b Hasnain 5 And now Alex Hales has gone! He forced Mohammad Hasnain towards short midwicket, where Usman Qadir swooped to his left to take a wonderful two-handed catch. Pakistan are right back in this game, if they were ever out of it in the first place. FOW: 13/2

05:20 PM

OVER 1: ENG 9/1 (Hales 1 Jacks 0)

There's a lot to like about Phil Salt but he does need to calm down just a touch. He goes off like a pacemaker in every innings.

05:18 PM

Wicket!

Salt c Wasim b Nawaz 8 Phil Salt and Alex Hales come out to open the batting, which means Will Jacks will bat at No3. Salt hits two of the first three balls for four but then gets carried away, not for the first time, and holes out to deep midwicket. Salt goes for a four-ball eight. He'd be deadly at five-over cricket. FOW: 8/1

05:07 PM

Innings break

That's a decent comeback from England, who conceded only (sic) 95 from the last 12 overs after a typically fast start from Rizwan and Babar. It's hard to know how good this pitch is, because all the batters apart from Asif Ali struggled to time the ball as the innings progressed. There was a bit of reverse swing, too. England will surely go hard against the new ball.

05:04 PM

OVER 20: PAK 166/4 (Ali 13 Nawaz 1)

Topley's hat-trick ball is walloped hilariously into the crowd by the new batter Asif Ali. After a couple of singles, Asif monsters the last ball of the innings over deep midwicket for six more. He finishes with 13 not out from three balls (!), and England need 167 to win.

05:01 PM

WICKET!

Rizwan c Hales b Topley 88 Two wickets in two balls! Rizwan cloths a low full toss straight to Hales at mid-off to end an important innings of 88 from 67 balls. He really struggled to time the ball in the second half, but it was still a vital knock.

04:59 PM

Wicket!

Khushdil c Ali b Topley 2 Lovely bowling from Reece Topley, who dupes Khushdil with a wide slower ball. Khushdil hacked it high into the off side, and Moeen Ali took a simple catch. FOW: 152/3

04:58 PM

OVER 19: PAK 152/2 (Rizwan 88 Khushdil 2)

I said Shan Masood's LBW was plumb - in fact it was only hitting half of leg stump so it would have been umpire's call.

Khushdil Shah is the new batsman. Willey completes a terrific over - just six from it - and finishes with figures of 4-0-31-1. England have done pretty well to keep this innings under control.

04:54 PM

WICKET!

Masood LBW b Willey 21 Shan Masood mows across the line at a very full delivery from Willey, misses and is plumb LBW. He doesn't bother to review it, even though Pakistan have two left. FOW: 149/2

04:52 PM

OVER 18: PAK 146/1 (Rizwan 86 Masood 19)

Shan Masood gets his first boundary, helping a short ball from Stone to deep backward square. But that's only the fourth boundary since the eighth over, and England will be happy enough with this slightly peculiar scoreline. Usually, if a team is one wicket down after 18 overs in a T20 game, you'd expect them to be approaching 200.

Stone finishes with debut figures of 4-0-36-0.

04:48 PM

OVER 17: PAK 137/1 (Rizwan 83 Masood 13)

Rizwan needs a bit of treatment after scraping his knee while diving for a second run.

Topley's third over, full of variations, costs only seven. Both batsmen have struggled to time the ball in the last few overs - Masood isn't even going at a run a ball - so maybe this pitch isn't the batting paradise that we thought.

04:39 PM

OVER 16: PAK 130/1 (Rizwan 81 Masood 8)

There is definitely a bit of reverse swing, this time for Willey. But when he doesn't get the yorker quite right, Rizwan makes room to belabour the ball back over his head for four. Ten from the over in total.

Here's a stat for you: since the start of 2021, Rizwan is averaging 72 in T20 internationals. That's outrageous.

04:34 PM

OVER 15: PAK 120/1 (Rizwan 74 Masood 6)

Alex Hales has dropped another catch! Shan Masood carted Rashid high towards long on, where Hales ran in and put down a pretty straightforward chance. Rashid thus ends a terrific spell with figures of 4-0-27-0. He conceded only one boundary, the six down the ground by Rizwan.

04:31 PM

OVER 14: PAK 113/1 (Rizwan 70 Masood 3)

Stone returns, and his first ball is swivel-pulled emphatically for four by Rizwan. There's a bit of reverse swing when Stone pitches the ball up, which will interest the Pakistan quicks. Maybe a par score isn't quite as high as we first thought.

04:26 PM

OVER 13: PAK 104/1 (Rizwan 62 Masood 4)

Willey returns in place of Rashid. It's another boundaryless over in what has become a decent spell for England - Pakistan have scored only 33 runs from the last five overs.

04:22 PM

OVER 12: PAK 98/1 (Rizwan 60 Masood 1)

Shan Masood, promoted to No3 in the absence of the injured Haider Ali, is the new batter. Dawson finishes a decent spell with figures of 4-0-32-1.

04:20 PM

WICKET!

Babar c b Dawson 36 Glory be, a wicket. Babar slugs Dawson straight to deep midwicket, where Duckett takes a comfortable catch. Babar goes for a 28-ball 36. FOW: 97/1

04:17 PM

OVER 11: PAK 92/0 (Rizwan 58 Babar 33)

Rizwan finally gets hold of Rashid, clouting him over long-on for six. Jacks made a spectacular attempt to catch the ball and throw it back into play while diving over the rope, but he couldn't quite manage the second part.

04:11 PM

OVER 10: PAK 82/0 (Rizwan 50 Babar 31)

Dawson sees Rizwan coming and slams the ball in short, but Rizwan adjusts to chip a single to long-off. Even so, that was nicely bowled. Rizwan works the last ball of the over for two to reach a lovely half-century from 38 balls. In this format, he is a run-machine.

04:07 PM

OVER 9: PAK 74/0 (Rizwan 46 Babar 27)

Rashid is using all his variations to keep the batsmen (relatively) quiet. His second over is a gem, with just three singles from it. The consensus in the commentary box is that a par score is around 190-200 so, even though they haven't taken a wicket, England won't be too disappointed with this start.

04:04 PM

OVER 8: PAK 71/0 (Rizwan 44 Babar 26)

A gorgeous shot from Babar, who opens the face to steer the new bowler David Willey past short third man for four. Willey switches round the wicket as a result - so Babar slams a pull stroke to the midwicket boundary. Majestic batting. Babar has 26 from 18 balls, Rizwan 44 from 31.

03:59 PM

OVER 7: PAK 59/0 (Rizwan 42 Babar 16)

With the Powerplay complete, Adil Rashid comes into the attack. It's the first boundaryless over of the innings, but Pakistan still manage to scamper seven runs. They're on course for another huge total.

03:55 PM

OVER 6: PAK 52/0 (Rizwan 38 Babar 13)

An attempted yorker from Stone is timed down the ground for four by Rizwan, who is batting delightfully. A no-ball gives Pakistan a free hit, from which Babar is caught on the boundary. He is able to run a single while the ball is in the air, which brings up yet another fifty partnership with Rizwan. They are about to become the first pair to add 2,000 runs together in T20 internationals.

03:50 PM

OVER 5: PAK 42/0 (Rizwan 32 Babar 10)

Stone off, Dawson on - but his second over goes for plenty, 11 to be precise. Babar cuts elegantly for four, then Rizwan paddles another boundary over his shoulder.

03:46 PM

OVER 4: PAK 31/0 (Rizwan 26 Babar 5)

Rizwan is monopolising the strike, having faced 19 of the 24 deliveries. Topley's second over is really good... until the last delivery, an errant short ball that is whirled round the corner for by Rizwan.

03:42 PM

OVER 3: PAK 23/0 (Rizwan 19 Babar 4)

It's time for the debutant Olly Stone. His second ball is steered/edged (delete as appropriate)  for four by Rizwan, his fourth boundary in the first 12 deliveries.

A sharp bumper is avoided by Babar, and all in all that's a good first over from Stone.

03:38 PM

OVER 2: PAK 15/0 (Rizwan 14 Babar 1)

Now for a different type of left-armer: the tall, fast Reece Topley, who has had an outstanding year in white-ball cricket. He finds some inswing straight away, but his second ball is too straight and Rizwan flicks it fine for four.

Rizwan is then beaten by a grubber that swings after passing the bat and is well stopped by Salt, changing direction like a goalkeeper. The next ball is timed classily through extra cover for four. Rizwan, who has an astonishing record in T20 internationals, is into his work again.

03:33 PM

OVER 1: PAK 7/0 (Rizwan 6 Babar 1)

Liam Dawson opens the bowling to the old firm of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, who have added more runs in IT20s than any other partnership, ever. It takes Rizwan precisely two balls to hit the first boundary, sweeping firmly round the corner. He is such an infectious, effervescent cricketer, who never allows the game - whatever the format - to drift.

Three singles make it a decent over for both teams, seven from it.

03:26 PM

Five minutes to whatever the cricket equivalent of kick off is

This is the last of four games in Karachi, with the teams then heading to Lahore for the final three matches of the series.

03:07 PM

And two changes for Pakistan

Asif Ali and Mohammad Wasim replace Haider Ali, who is injured, and Shahnawaz Dahani.

Pakistan Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Asif Ali, Usman Qadir, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Wasim.

03:06 PM

Three changes for England

Alex Hales, David Willey and the debutant Olly Stone replace Dawid Malan, Sam Curran and Mark Wood.

England Hales, Jacks, Salt (wk), Duckett, Brook, Ali (c), Willey, Dawson, Rashid, Stone, Topley.

03:03 PM

England win the toss and bowl first

Moeen Ali says he thinks the pitch gets better under lights.

03:01 PM

From our man Nick Hoult in Karachi

02:58 PM

Stone to make T20I debut

Olly Stone has been presented with his T20I cap by Chris Woakes, so he will make his debut today. That presumably means Mark Wood is being rested.

02:55 PM

To Mankad or not to Mankad...

So far England's tour of Pakistan has been full of goodwill, so I doubt we'll see any Mankadery today. But the subject is back on the agenda after the controversial finish to yesterday's women's ODI at Lord's. Scyld Berry and Nick Hoult have been discussing whether Deepti Sharma's run out of Charlie Dean was perfectly acceptable or just not cricket.

Read more...

02:40 PM

England's first 360-degree batsman

This is a typically insightful piece from Scyld Berry on the remarkable Harry Brook, who has jumped the middle-order queue to become an integral part of England's T20 plans at the World Cup.

Read more

02:24 PM

Good afternoon

Welcome to the Telegraph’s live, over-by-over coverage of the fourth and preantepenultimate T20 international between Pakistan and England. The tourists lead 2-1 after hammering Pakistan by 63 runs on Friday, a match that included a spectacular 35-ball 81 from Harry Brook.

We’ve already had nearly 1100 runs in the series, and this is likely to be another festival of six-hitting. The most important thing for England is to hone their XI ahead of the World Cup, but they would love a series victory to restore some of the confidence they lost during the English summer. A win tonight would put them 3-1 up with three to play.

There is talk that Olly Stone will make his T20I debut, presumably in place of Mark Wood, who is being carefully managed like the precious jewel he is. The same is true of the captain Jos Buttler, who is yet to play in this series because of a calf injury.

We’ll have all the team news, and the toss, at 3pm.