Alex Hales’s century provided the platform for England to post the highest ever One-Day International total of 444 for 3 against Pakistan at Trent Bridge on Tuesday (August 30).
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Records tumbled on a balmy afternoon in Nottingham, where bowling reputations were torn to shreds.
Though Sarfraz Ahmed scored a century to help them come up with a respectable score of 251 runs, it was not enough as England chased the target without much discomfort, with Joe Root and Eoin Morgan striking half-centuries.
Jos Buttler (57no) then took his cue to set a new record for England’s fastest 50, eclipsing Paul Collingwood by doing so from 22 balls – with three fours and six sixes – as a new national highest ODI total appeared to become a formality.
Watch a pick of the action from the third ODI between England and Pakistan at Trent Bridge. This was the second-most expensive ODI spell behind Australian Mick Lewis’s none for 113 against South Africa at Johannesburg in 2006.
England have been a quality unit in the ongoing ODI series against Pakistan, with two back-to-back victories giving them a 2-0 lead.
Pakistan, who recently fell to ninth in the one-day rankings, suffered a 44-run defeat in the opening match at Southampton before slumping to a four-wicket loss in the second ODI at Lord’s.
But Hales was rarely troubled after Morgan won the toss in this day/night fixture.
He rode his luck at times as he was caught off a no-ball when he was on 72 and then later dropped by Azhar Ali.
443-9- Sri Lanka (v Netherlands), 4 July 2006; 3.
Hales’ 171 came from 122 balls and included four sixes but Morgan hit five maximums and Buttler seven.
But there was no stopping the torrent of runs, with Buttler lofting Nawaz for two sixes in as many balls.
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The team record arrived from the final delivery when Buttler pounded a four off Hasan Ali over extra-cover, to loud cheers.
