Pakistan will look to settle the account with England as the two sides are going to meet again on Saturday at Lord’s for second one day global (ODI) of five matches series.
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Sarfraz Ahmed made 105 – the first ODI hundred at Lord’s by a Pakistan batsman – and Imad Wasim 63 not out, although a final total of 251 looked well below a competitive score.
England’s new-ball pairing Chris Woakes and Mark Wood impressed again, sharing six wickets and reducing Pakistan to two for three after they opted to bat first.
England lead the five-match series 1-0.
Describing Stokes as a “genuine all-rounder”, Imad said the English bowler is one of the best in the world and that the Morgan-led side would definitely turn stronger in his presence.
At the halfway mark, Pakistan were placed at 123 for four.
“I told the players that nobody is safe and if you are over 30 I am afraid you have to come to the table more often than not otherwise it gives us an opportunity to blood some younger players”, Arthur said ahead of Pakistan’s second ODI against England at Lord’s.
England’s chase got off to a shaky start when Jason Roy dragged the second ball of the innings from Mohammad Amir into…
Ben Stokes made a brisk 42 before Root, who hit just five fours in his patient knock, holed out off Wahab Riaz with England in sight of the target at 240 for 6.
Woakes ended the match with 15 balls to spare when he cut leg-spinner Yasir Shah, England’s tormentor in chief during Pakistan’s Test win at Lord’s earlier this season, for four. That decision came into question nearly immediately as Mark Wood had Sami Aslam strangled down the leg-side and the Durham paceman uprooted Sharjeel Khan’s off-stump in spectacular fashion.
Opening batsman Mohammad Hafeez missed out due to a knee injury and was replaced by Sami Aslam.
The county colleagues both went for the same catch in the deep before Root somehow clung on to dismiss Hasan Ali, despite the impact of Rashid running into him.
Stokes added: “We are 2-0 up because we are playing the better cricket, but if we slip up from what we have been doing that would be the worst thing we can do”.
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If he does not make runs at his home ground of Trent Bridge on Tuesday then pressure will build and the chances of Hales touring to Bangladesh and India this winter will begin to look remote.
