Neither batsman was in at the finish of this day/night fixture, with Moeen Ali (45 not out) hitting Pakistan captain Azhar Ali for six to win the match with 12 balls to spare.
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For all the record-breaking feats of their whirring thunderbats at Trent Bridge earlier in the week, it was England’s performance at Headingley on Thursday evening that was probably the more instructive for the team’s management as they plot a course for next summer’s Champions Trophy and the World Cup in 2019.
Pakistan will now play their fifth and final ODI in Cardiff today before playing a lone T20 worldwide in Manchester on Wednesday.
Meanwhile Bairstow, who scored a match-winning 83 against New Zealand previous year at Chester-le-Street after Buttler suffered a late hand injury, brought up his second fifty in 18 ODIs with a glorious drive down the ground.
Bairstow has been in outstanding form all year, and has made nearly 1,000 Test runs since January, including in a memorable stand with Stokes against South Africa at Cape Town.
The fifth ODI may well be the last match of Azhar Ali as Pakistan’s Captain.
Confirming his absence, the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement on Saturday: “Irfan initially suffered cramps in his hamstring in that match [at Headingley] and came off to receive treatment”.
The wicketkeeper batsman, who replaced Jos Buttler, went on to score his third ODI fifty.
England sealed the series by winning the third match at Nottingham by a whooping 169 runs and went on to win the fourth ODI by four wickets at Leed’s.
Pitch and weather report: Another dry pitch is on the offering in this series.
The bowler trapped him lbw with the next delivery to end a second-wicket stand of 248 with Joe Root, who fell soon after for 85, but the pain was far from over for the Pakistan bowlers.
You’ll have to travel a long way to see a better fan catch than this – especially as it won him a trip to Australia!
England’s Jonny Bairstow walks off dejected after losing his wicket.
“I don’t think anyone thinks that way, or is inclined to say, “Oh well, we’ll leave it to the next person”. There was no panic at any point in that chase”, he added.
“It’s not surprised me”, he said.
After scoring a scarcely believable 444 for three last time out, England were embroiled in an old-school 50-over tussle which appeared to be going against them when the top four were dismissed within 15 overs. Headingley is never the easiest place to bowl spin, but he’s looking the real deal now. The last time England played here, they left out Moeen to play an extra quick because of the short, straight boundary, but Stokes’ presence with the ball means Moeen will probably be retained this time. “He’s a pleasure to watch”.
“It’s scary, the batting we’ve got”.
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Miandad criticised Azhar’s elevation to the captaincy after last year’s World Cup and said the side had been “humiliated” in the series against England.
