The knock may have been circumspect by Bairstow’s standards, but it possessed plenty of currency in steering the hosts to a 4-0 lead as England reached 252-6 with 12 balls to go after Pakistan opened with 247-8.
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After the scampering Bairstow perished chasing another quick single with 23 required, Moeen – another batsman not needed in Nottingham – completed the job with a straight six.
Last year Bairstow guided England to a one-day series clinching win over New Zealand – a key-staging post in their recovery from a dismal first-round exit at the 2015 World Cup – with an unbeaten 83 at Chester-le-Street after Buttler was ruled out with a hand injury.
“When you’re left out of the side it’s not very nice – and when you get in you want to assess that opportunity and take it by the nuts and crack on”.
“Jonny Bairstow today stood out like a sore thumb replacing Jos Buttler”. Alex Hales and Joe Root, the heroes of Trent Bridge, had both fallen and Mohammad Irfan was looking menacing, having taken two of the wickets.
Pakistan had only pride to play for after losing the record-breaking third match at Trent Bridge and going 0-3 down in the series.
With Mohammad Irfan, 7ft 1ins tall, recalled to the team, the tourists were inspired during the early part of England’s innings. They trundled along at four runs per over and lost wickets at regular intervals. But Root fell when his top-edged pull off Hasan Ali was safely caught at fine leg by Irfan. The large Pakistan contingent in the sell-out ground roared and tooted their horns.
He finished on a high when Azhar picked out long-off, missing the chance of a century for the second time in the series.
Luckily for them, Stokes enjoys such situations.
Adding to the significance of the moment for Bairstow, his Man-of-the-Match performance came on his late father’s birthday.
Man-of-the-match Bairstow followed suit by skipping down the pitch to drive Mohammad Nawaz, Pakistan’s other left-arm spinner, for another six.
Ben Stokes in action against Pakistan in the fourth ODI. A century looked to be within his grasp but instead the all-rounder had to settle for 69 from 70 balls.
However, their 37-run stand which came in 62 deliveries was broken with Liam Plunkett (1-61) dismissing Aslam in the 15th over following which Azhar scored two more boundaries to take Pakistan to 69 for two. It did not matter, though, as Moeen saw England home.
England made it four wins from four in the five-match ODI series against Pakistan at Headingley, winning the match by four wickets.
Then Rashid signed off with the wicket of Azhar, whose hard work culminated only in a tame chip to long-off from the final ball of the leg-spinner’s 10 overs.
However, with England on the up in one-day cricket, Bairstow wants to be more than a white-ball “reserve”.
Moeen tempted Babar Azam to cut and he was caught at backward point for 12.
This brought frustration to the Pakistani captain as he finally lost patience and tried to go big but was out caught for 80 of the bowling Rashid to leave the score on 169 for six. Rizwan, who has rarely played in this tour, was lbw to Rashid for six.
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Wasim struck an eye-catching unbeaten 57, putting on 56 for the eighth wicket with Hasan Ali.
