Pakistan lost 2nd One Dayer against England

A target of 284 was never within Pakistan’s compass as half the side departed for 50 by the 19th over, a pedestrian start during which England’s pace trio imposed total control. From there, it was about damage limitation and Sarfraz Ahmed’s 64 at least cut the deficit to 95 runs.

Pakistan eventually ran out of gas at 188 with 25 balls remaining. Impressive the other day, pretty mediocre the next, that summed up Pakistan’s story on the night. They couldn’t make inroads with the new ball as the England openers Hales and Jason Roy showed intent and stood ground.

The fielding too, brilliant the other day, just had a few flashes of brilliance and wasn’t as tight as it was the other day. They missed a catch as well as a couple of run outs. Wahab Riaz, nursing a painful ankle after getting his boot stuck in the turf while fielding at third man, couldn’t react in time after Joe Root had reverse swept debutant Iftikhar Ahmed. Root was on 29 then and went on to make 63.

England also nullified the threat posed by their nemesis Yasir Shah. The leg spinner had returned with 15 wickets from the two Tests he played in Dubai and Sharjah but was wicketless tonight. He also conceded seven an over as his nine overs cost 70 runs.

Hales and Roy, both talked up as explosive opening batsmen, saw off the Pakistan pace attack and knitted together 102, with Roy scoring 54 and Hales conjuring an impressive 109. And with Root making 63, the 256 put together by the top three bested the 226 to become England’s highest ever in an overseas ODI.

A score of more than 300 loomed but Wahab made excellent use of the old ball and variation in pace at the death, to end with three wickets. Wahab castled Root and then used the slower ball to disturb Buttler’s furniture. He had earlier dismissed Roy.
Hales fell 11.1 overs from the end at 216 for two, England’s overall total in the first fixture.

The towering Mohammed Irfan too used the slower ball to good effect to send back Morgan as England could only muster 39 from the last eight overs.