Roy is now hoping to build on his good innings in the second one-day worldwide on Sunday, claiming he needs to put together a consistent run of big scores if he is to earn a Test call. He is a favourite of coach Trevor Bayliss and is becoming increasingly influential in limited-overs cricket. His 65 off 56 was the first time since his maiden ODI century previous year that he had not converted a fifty to three figures. Regardless of his red-ball ambitions, Roy is likely to be a pillar of this team in both the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2019 World Cup – both of which take place in England.
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But his innings ended when a lofted drive off Mohammad Nawaz – also a left-arm spinner – was brilliantly caught just inside the boundary by Babar, running round from long-off.
The pair added 89 in 14 overs before Roy fell, bringing captain Eoin Morgan to the crease.
But he did need treatment after a hard run two before picking up where he left off.
Root was sold down the river when captain Eoin Morgan called for a suicidal single.
Superb death bowling after a rain break kept Pakistan to 260-6, despite 82 from Azhar Ali and Sarfraz Ahmed’s 55.
England won by 44 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method after rain interrupted what had been a comfortable chase towards their victory target of 261 at the Ageas Bowl on the south coast.
England are due to play three one- dayers and two Tests there.
Mark Wood (1-57) – making his first global appearance since October 2015 – immediately found his rhythm and troubled Sharjeel Khan (16) early on, and in the sixth over he got his man as Jos Buttler took down the leg side. Despite clearly edging the ball behind for 16, Sharjeel asked for the review – a unusual and unwise decision that would cost his team. Mark Wood bowled the speed of light on T20 Finals Day, working over Joe Root – England’s best batsman – with as exhilarating an over as you could wish to see.
Mohammad Hafeez duly obliged as Hales made no mistake at the second time of asking and caught Hafeez’s wayward sweep shot at deep square leg.
Eoin Morgan, in his first innings since chipping a bone in his hand on 26 July, was not subjected to a barrage of short bowling early on despite going 22 global innings without a half-century.
Mark Wood made his England comeback after injury. He lost partner Babar Azam for a 42-ball 40, though Azam was hugely unlucky.
Pakistan opted against recalling leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
Wicketkeeper Buttler was just unable to stretch to Azhar’s inside edge off Liam Plunkett, but could hardly be blamed for the ball remaining out of reach.
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Pakistan’s below-par total of 260 for six from their full 50-over allocation gifted England the advantage at the halfway point. Sarfraz and Shoaib Malik perished in identical fashion, chipping wastefully to mid-off, and Chris Woakes was particularly impressive as the southpaw allrounders Nawaz and Imad Wasim struggled to raise the tempo.
