England gunned down a stiff target of 194 to level their ongoing T20I series against Australia, spearheaded by Liam Livingstone, as the hosts reached their target with an over to spare in Cardiff. With a strong second-innings performance required to prevent the series from slipping away, England turned up in style, forcing a decider in Manchester on Sunday.

This chase ranked among England’s most successful in T20 cricket, placing them in the top five of their highest completed second-innings scores in a winning cause. Here is the full list:

5. England vs Australia, Cardiff, 2024: 194

Liam Livingstone’s fluent 87, combined with an impressive 44 from newcomer Jacob Bethell, helped England chase down Australia’s total of 193. England looked to be in trouble after strong contributions from Josh Inglis, Jake Fraser-McGurk and flurries from Travis Head and Aaron Hardie.

Livingstone and Bethell joined forces after Phil Salt fell at 79 for 3, building a crucial 90-run partnership. They successfully accelerated through the middle overs to seal the win.

4. England vs Pakistan, Manchester, 2020: 199

Chasing a tough target of 196 set by Pakistan after half-centuries from Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez, England approached the task with confidence. Jonny Bairstow opened with a powerful 44 off 24 balls, while Dawid Malan anchored the innings with a solid 54. Eoin Morgan then unleashed a brilliant 66 off 33 balls, including four sixes. Malan saw through the chase with five balls remaining.

3. England vs South Africa, Centurion, 2020: 226

Chasing 223 at Centurion, after a brutal Klaasen-Miller show in the first innings, England needed contributions from the entire order on a bouncy pitch. Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler both scored quick half-centuries before Eoin Morgan stole the show once again, with an unbeaten 57 off 22 balls, including seven sixes. A lower-order cameo from Ben Stokes helped England secure the win with five balls to spare.

2. England vs West Indies, Grenada, 2023: 226

Chasing 224 at St. George’s in Grenada, England found themselves in a tough spot after Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell powered the West Indies to a big total, including 87 runs off the last five overs.

England’s chase started strong, with a half-century from Jos Buttler and a dazzling show from Phil Salt, who scored an unbeaten 109 off 56 balls. However, the real drama unfolded when Harry Brook, needing 21 off the last over, finished the game with 31 off just seven deliveries, taking England home in a memorable chase.

1. England vs South Africa, Wankhede, 2016: 230

England’s highest successful T20I chase came in a tense World Cup match in Mumbai in 2016. The team was desperate for a win after an opening loss to the West Indies. Despite Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy and David Miller combining to push South Africa to 229, England remained in the game.

A rapid start from Jason Roy meant England kept up with the asking rate, scoring 89 in the powerplay. However, the loss of wickets in quick succession left them in a tricky spot. Joe Root then played a heroic knock, scoring 83 off 44 balls, guiding England to a record-breaking chase. This victory remains the highest-ever chase in a T20 World Cup and helped propel England to the tournament final, though they eventually lost to the West Indies.

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