Maiden one-day centuries from openers Tammy Beaumont and Lauren Winfield, complemented by a 33-ball 80-run blitzkrieg from Natalie Sciver took England to their highest-ever total in the format as they set Pakistan a target of 379.
Advertisement
The Berkshire all-rounder could hardly have made a more emphatic statement that it is now her England team, taking five wickets with her off spin and then making an unbeaten 50 with the bat.
It also forms part of the ICC World Championship and England have climbed to third spot in the table behind Australia and the West Indies with the top four automatically qualifying for the 2017 World Cup in England.
The final ODI will be held at Taunton on Monday, before the sides play three Twenty20s.
Leicester: England Women have easily defeated Pakistan Women by 7 wickets in the first game of the 3-match ODI series today at Grace Road, Leicester. They made the Pakistan bowlers toil right from the first ball.
At the other end Beaumont struggled to four off 19 balls before effortlessly launching Asmavia Iqbal for a straight six in between a pair of fours, to pick up from where she left off in the first match.
A maiden ODI fifty for Sidra Ameen (52 off 79) was the sole bright spot for Pakistan, as Knight – who only took up off-spin two years ago having previously been a medium pacer – tore through the middle and lower order in the best bowling performance of her worldwide career.
As numerous records began to fall, both England players were eyeing up their maiden tons across all formats.
Beaumont too marked the morning with a century as England surged past 200.
Maham Tariq eventually broke the partnership, removing the duo within the space of three balls but there was no respite for Pakistan as Sciver came in and went on the attack from the off. Sciver came in with an intent that had attack written all over it.
Advertisement
The Pakistan chase never really got going after Dani Wyatt ran out Nahida Khan with a direct hit and Shrubsole trapped Sidra Ameen lbw to leave them 19-2 in the sixth over.
