James Vince and Adil Rashid caught the eye with bat and ball respectively as England secured the Twenty20 series against Pakistan with a thrilling three-run, final ball, victory in Dubai.

Vince top-scored with 38, following on from his promising debut 41 the previous evening, as the visitors posted 172-8 from their 20 overs.

Rashid then produced standout figures of two for 18 from four overs as Pakistan were restricted to 169-8 in reply, despite a ferocious late assault from Shahid Afridi; Chris Woakes holding his nerve to defend the 11 that were required from the final over.

England opted to continue their policy of rotation with stand-in captain Jos Buttler, Joe Root, Chris Woakes and David Willey all coming into the side.

The opening partnership of Roy and Hales, however, remained uninterrupted after England won the toss - and they got the tourists off to a flyer.

The Nottinghamshire man lobbed the first boundary of the innings over long-off when Anwar Ali over-pitched.

Roy indicated a preference for the leg-side in launching both Anwar and Sohail Tanveer for maximums as the total reached 32-0 after four overs.

The introduction of Shahid Afridi, however, spelled the end for both openers. Hales was lbw to the Pakistani captain’s first ball. Roy was caught behind attempting a slog sweep in the leg-spinner's next over.

Although Vince and Joe Root managed to steer England from 47-2 to 74-2, they couldn’t keep Afridi out of the game for long.

Root, on 20, aimed a slog-sweep at Shoaib Malik and the skipper of the home side took a smart catch at midwicket.

Vince opted to counter-attack, striking 6, 4, 4 off Malik prior to departing for 38, off 24 balls, to a top-edged sweep that handed Afridi his third wicket of the innings.

That was the cue for Buttler to enter the fray, taking the attack to Pakistan in fine style in a 22-ball stay at the crease that included three sixes, two of them off successive Tanveer deliveries, and 33 runs.

Sam Billings kept his skipper company whilst adding a sprightly 11 but, once they were each dismissed - by Riaz and Tanveer respectively - Anwar Ali picked up two quick wickets that reduced England to 154-8 with 1.2 overs remaining.

Woakes, however, slashed a brace of off-side boundaries off the final over of the innings, bowled by Riaz, to finish 15 not out off seven deliveries and propel the tourists to a total of 172. 

Pakistan’s opening duo of Ahmed Shehzad and Rafatullah Mohmand eased the hosts to 51-0 off five overs before the former was stumped off Stephen Parry’s left-arm spin for 28.

Rafatullah fell to a similar dismissal off the bowling of Rashid, pegging Pakistan back to 60-2 after 8.1 overs. 

A flurry of Mohammad Hafeez boundaries nudged Pakistan back above the required rate before Plunkett induced a leading edge to dismiss him for 28.

Rashid then completed his fine evening's work by bowling Sohaib Maqsood with a googly - and the game was in the balance with Pakistan 93-4, requiring a further 80 from 45 balls.

The required rate climbed above 15-an-over when Shoaib Malik heaved Plunkett into the hands of Billings on the leg-side boundary in the 17th over.

It was at that stage that Afridi took to the crease and plundered an explosive 24 off seven deliveries that powered Pakistan back into the contest, before skewing his eighth ball to Plunkett at short third-man.

With 25 more required from two overs, a Sarfraz Ahmed boundary was followed by four overthrows and Pakistan needed 11 runs from the final over, bowled by Woakes.

The Warwickshire all-rounder, who played Second XI cricket for Nottinghamshire during his return from injury in 2015, produced the moment of the match, clean bowling Sarfraz (19) with a yorker.

It came down to the final ball of the innings with Pakistan needing four to win and Anwar on strike.

The Pakistan tail-ender swing and missed, meaning England emerged victorious by the skin of their teeth - and by three runs.

  

England are returning to the scene of their Ashes triumph in 2016 for Royal London One-Day Internationals against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Don't miss the opportunity to watch some of the best players in the world go toe-to-toe in the unique surroundings of Trent Bridge and secure your seats now.