Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Irfan has been ruled out of the remainder of the tour of England, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Saturday.
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Meanwhile England skipper Eoin Morgan did not have any qualms about the composition of his side.
The Yorkshireman got the tap on the shoulder from coach Trevor Bayliss to get his gloves on for wicketkeeping, or his pads ready in the middle order, only two minutes before his captain went out to toss up because Jos Buttler hurt his hamstring in the warm-up.
Azhar Ali will be under a lot of pressure in this match, not only to lead, but also to perform.
“I’m pleased to get a go”, Bairstow told BBC Radio. “Unfortunately, everyone gets cramp”.
“I think we will take as much time as we need to make a decision, to feel comfortable and to feel safe”. “There was no panic at any point in that chase”, he added.
“It was a bit more of a competitive game but again we were a few runs short”, Azhar said.
“The way we bowled at Nottingham wasn’t good enough. But we lost wickets frequently”. But it might have been different had the 34-year-old Irfan, who removed openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales in a return of two for 26 as England slumped to 72 for four, stayed on the field in what was his only match of the tour.
Stokes stroked a almost run-a-ball 69 and Bairstow, included at the last minute in place of the injured Jos Buttler, made 61 as England chased down Pakistan’s 247-8 with two overs to spare.
The tourists’ bowling coach Azhar Mahmood, a veteran of many seasons in England as a player, admits the ongoing Royal London Series has been a disappointment for Pakistan. Barring the third ODI where Pakistan’s bowlers were plundered for 444 runs, they have done rather well against a fearless and efficient batting line-up.
“When I saw the fixture list, the games aren’t easy”, said Arthur, whose side have at least qualified for next year’s Champions Trophy, ‘the mini World Cup, ‘ in England.
Left-hander Stokes went on the offensive by driving Wasim for six over long-on.
Stokes, with England 116 for four, was fortunate on 35 when a diving Nawaz at backward square could not hold a top-edged sweep off Wasim.
But it was the return of the otherwise ineffective Umar Gul that broke the fifth-wicket stand, Bairstow falling to a simple catch at backward-point as he tried to glide runs to third man from a slower short ball.
However, going for a risky single, he was run out by Azhar’s direct hit from mid-off.
Stokes took two well-judged catches to send both opening batsmen Sami Aslam (24) and Sharjeel Khan (16) packing before spinners Moeen, who didn’t concede a boundary off his 10 overs, and Rashid struck at regular intervals.
The wicketkeeper-batsman provided the telling impetus, with his 10 fours and a six from 73 balls.
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“It’s been an eye-opener for for me, the last four games”, said Arthur ahead of Sunday’s series finale in Cardiff.
