Having won the first one-day global by 44 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method, England delivered another impressive showing with bat and ball on Saturday to take command of the five-match series.
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Skipper Azhar Ali eventually ended his poor run while a dauntless 82 while Sarfraz Ahmed and Babar Azam made 55 and 40 respectively as the visitors made 260-6 after electing to bat first.
The Prime Minister, a keen fan of the game, was spotted at Lord’s, where she saw England take on Pakistan in a one-day worldwide.
With a strike rate of around 80, his was a constrained innings by modern one-day standards but a crucial contribution for his side to avoid embarrassment.
Shortly after reaching his century he survived being given out lbw when a review showed Plunkett’s slow off-cutter was missing leg stump.
He survived an lbw appeal from the seamer soon after but seven balls later slog swept Rashid straight to Alex Hales on the ropes.
Pakistan’s clumsy display in the limited overs format has also come to the notice of their coach Mickey Arthur who has called on his players to step up their game.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni wants more matches in the United States despite a chaotic Twenty20 clash against the West Indies on Sunday ending in a rain-hit no result.
England’s star batsman had little time to rest, with the number three out in the middle again after opener Jason Roy’s second-ball duck.
“We could spill in to risky territory if we start to think too far ahead”, he said.
Pakistan captain Azhar Ali won the toss and elected to bat in the second one-day global against England at Lord’s on Saturday.
Before him, England’s Jos Buttler and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara have scored tons at the historic ground. He’s such a cool and calm head.
“The way we’re playing at the minute is brilliant – taking wickets regularly throughout the innings, scoring quite freely with the bat”. At that point, the tourists could easily have caved in under pressure from England’s rampant pace bowlers, but the pugnacious Ahmed launched an impressive counterattack, pouncing on anything short and wide to drag his team back into the contest. The guys coming in are suited to the new style of one-day game.
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However, Stokes said he has worked hard on his game and is ready to take the challenge.
