Pakistan took a heavy toll on Reece Topley in a flying start to their reply, but despite the big hitting of Babar Azam (51) and Shoaib Malik (52), they lacked further innings of substance as spinners Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali shared six wickets.
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Jos Buttler was the undisputed star of England’s series-clinching win over Pakistan, completing a succession of outstanding individual performances over the past 10 days to cheer coach Trevor Bayliss. Hales atoned for an earlier, easier drop on the boundary by taking a couple of sensational low, running catches to dismiss Azam and Malik.
Another ones goes down as Rizwan is caught behind off a faint edge. Since the start of the Ashes, his highest score in Test cricket had been 42, in the fifth Test at The Oval, and the confidence had ebbed away alarmingly from his naturally ebullient game.
Just when the boundaries were flowing however, it was once again the Pakistani achilles heel of running between the wickets that reared it’s ugly head, as Hafeez was ran out for 37. Pak 129-3, 19 overs. A checked straight drive off Wahab was a thing of beauty, while a flick through midwicket off Mohammad Irfan was gloriously timed. Pak 45-1, 6.3 overs. Root quickly turned the first worldwide wicket of Pakistan’s skipper Azhar Ali. Promoted to No. 4 after Jason Roy, who scored a maiden ODI century of his own, had established an imposing platform, Buttler was given every freedom to unleash his spectacular talents upon this game.
In-type Joe Root was the new batsman in and he did not disappoint the guests on the huge day.
Buttler, who went to King’s College in Taunton, scored an unbeaten 116, meaning he has now hit his country’s three fastest ODI centuries.
Pakistan left out Iftikhar Ahmed and Zafar Gohar from the side which lost the third match in Sharjah by six wickets on Tuesday. There may have been better innings played by an England player in ODI cricket, but it is not easy to think of them.
Buttler’s heroics earned him the man of the match and the man of the series awards.
“To get 350-plus on that wicket really set the game up for us”. And this is a genuinely likeable side, full of ambition, filled with match-winners, free-thinkers, players you would pay to watch.
“It’s another step on the way to that World Cup in March and April”. “I’m not sure I’ve got the words for what I saw tonight”, he said. But to be honest I haven’t trained any differently.
This four-match ODI series comes shortly after Pakistan claimed the three-match Test series 2-0.
“To come back shows not just the skill but the character this team have as well”, he said.
“All of us were hurt”, said Ali.
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But it laid the foundations for a mammoth 355 for five – England’s highest total overseas – and eventual 84-run win, despite a spirited chase from the hosts on a very good pitch.
