England on Friday won the second one-day global (ODI) against Pakistan by 95 runs to level the series at 1-1.
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Eoin Morgan’s tourists are still in with a chance of series victory against Pakistan, after Alex Hales’ maiden one-day global hundred underpinned their 95-run win in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Speculations were rife that Younis would announce his retirement from ODIs during or after the England series because of the increased debate on whether he deserved a spot in the ODI side.
With England fielding a relatively inexperienced bowling line-up, Morgan gave credit to the batsmen after the win, saying: “Batting is where most of our experience lies. Hales and Jason Roy (54) were outstanding and their stand (102 for the first wicket) made a huge impact on our total”.
Hales’s 109 was the cornerstone of England’s challenging 283-5 before Woakes – wicketless in his last six games – took 4-33 to help dismiss Pakistan for 188 in 45.5 overs at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
England, who recorded their first win of the tour after losing the Test series 2-0, were outplayed in the first contest and Morgan was thrilled with the way the team responded in Abu Dhabi.
However, Wahab Riaz (3-43) delivered the breakthrough when Roy holed out to mid-on. The hundred of the innings came up by the end of the 17th over, but Pakistan would have respite in the next over when Roy tried to clear Shoaib Malik at mid-on, but holed out.
But this pitch wouldn’t have any life if you detonated half a dozen mortar shells on a good length, and the true value of Hales’ landmark innings soon became apparent.
But wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed only delayed the inevitable with a stoic 64, to give the weekend crowd something to cheer about. In 21 matches, Hales never had a century to his name and his best was 67.
Azhar said his team would fight back.
A couple of balls later, Root brought up his own fifty with a scoop over fine leg for four runs and with 10 overs to go in the innings, England had 227 runs for the loss of two wickets. “As a top-order batter I would have liked it to come earlier in my career, it has been 20-odd games now, but hopefully it is the start of something for me”. But Willey, the left-arm pacer, upset their plans by removing Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez in quick succession to dent the chase. “I think in Younis’s case this didn’t happen and no one tried to speak to him to find out his feelings”, Mohsin, who has also served as chief selector, added.
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Three wickets then fell to Chris Woakes but a sprinkling of cutters to leaven his back-of-the-length attack served him well. First, Iftikhar holed out to mid-on off the pull shot.
