England host Pakistan in the fifth and final game of the five-match One Day International (ODI) series at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on 4 September (Sunday).
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Sarfraz Ahmed’s brilliant 90 helped Pakistan pull one back against England in the fifth and final ODI.
Wood then took two wickets in three balls to reduce Pakistan to 77 for 3 in the 14th over, bowling Babar Azam and having Azhar Ali, the Pakistan captain, caught behind on review for 33.
Irfan, Pakistan’s highest-ranked bowler in ODIs, was overlooked for the first three matches of this series.
Bairstow is excited even to be on the periphery of a team with Champions Trophy and World Cup aspirations on home soil over the next three years.
This is a scenario that will frighten both their legions of loyal fans and ICC chiefs who could see their showpiece tournament deprived of a money-spinning match between Pakistan and arch-rivals India.
Pakistan have a tough schedule as they try to improve their ranking, with the ICC system also factoring into account the quality of a team’s opposition.
“No regrets about the team – it was an opportunity to get Liam Dawson on the worldwide stage, it was important looking ahead to the winter, in case we go to three spinners, that he had a game under his belt”, Morgan said.
It meant England have won 12 of their last 13 one-day matches against Pakistan and they can complete the whitewash in Cardiff, where play gets underway at 10.30am.
But Moeen was unperturbed, with Azhar, bowling in place of the ailing Irfan, unable to contain the all-rounder from firing England to victory.
“He was put on standby when we selected our one-day squad”. We encourage him to explore that because it is important he feels comfortable with the way he bats. “When you’re left out of the side, it’s not very nice – and when you get in, you want to assess that opportunity and take it by the nuts and crack on”.
A succession of England players have, however, failed to commit themselves in press conferences over the past week – citing, like Morgan, the twin priorities of being able to concentrate on the current series and then without extraneous safety concerns on the cricket in Bangladesh too.
He has been in the same position before when he replaced Buttler last summer against New Zealand at Chester-le-Street after his rival split the webbing in his hand. But Sarfraz, who made Pakistan’s first ODI hundred at Lord’s in the second match of this series, fell just short of another century when he lofted Dawson and Alex Hales, back-pedalling at mid-on, held the catch.
“When I saw the fixture list, the games aren’t easy”, Arthur said. “It is just when we are off it is important other guys fall in behind – and (this win) proved that”.
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Bairstow, the son of late former Yorkshire and England wicket-keeper David Bairstow, looked considerably younger than his 26 years on Thursday, having shaved off his beard after receiving a message from his mother, Janet, a Headingley administrator.
