Resolute half-centuries by Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow led England to a four-wicket victory against Pakistan and a 4-0 lead in the five-match one-day global series on Thursday.
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There was some cruel treatment to come for the slow left armer, as the sixes began to rain into a cloudless sky and England’s pedigree big-hitters gorged 135 in the last 10 overs.
Only under-fire captain Azhar Ali (80) and number eight Imad Wasim (57no) could muster half-centuries, as spinners Adil Rashid (three for 47) and Moeen Ali shared five 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.
Sami Aslam skied a second catch to Stokes, this time at deep midwicket off Liam Plunkett, but Azhar dug in for a 62-ball 50.
There were also impressive performances in that game for Jos Buttler, Joe Root and Morgan himself as England made the highest ever score in a one-day global. It was a massacre as England smashed 444 runs, their highest team total ever, in 50 overs for the loss of just three wickets. He now has second worst bowling figures in ODIs. With a power-packed line-up to follow them, including the consistently productive Joe Root and the scorer of England’s fastest ODI century in Buttler, there was speculation about whether England could go even further, though Woakes suggested that the 500 barrier might remain safe for a while yet. If he scores one more in the next game he will become the first Englishman to register 6 scores of fifty or more on the trot. Root now has five 50s to his name in five consecutive games.
England Team Management trusted the 27-years-old batsman, and finally he paid back with superb knock in the 3rd ODI against Pakistan.
Alex Hales is the latest, after his record-breaking 171 against Pakistan as England sealed the Royal London Series on his home ground at Trent Bridge, to make it clear he has yet to make up his mind.
With the Champions Trophy coming up on home soil next summer and the World Cup two years later, England are now surely realistic contenders to win their first-ever major global 50-over tournament.
135 Runs scored by England in overs 41 to 50, the most they have scored in the last ten in a one day global (in matches for which ball-by-ball data is available i.e since 2000).
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Chris Woakes, the England fast bowler, has admitted the players “have to pinch ourselves” after the dramatic turnaround in their one-day fortunes over the previous year.
