England recorded an 12-run victory over Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl to take a 1-0 lead in the ODI series.
After rain ensured no result was possible in Wednesday’s first ODI, conditions were much better in Southampton on Saturday for the second match of the five-game series and it was England who came out on top in an entertaining encounter.
Having been asked to bat first, England openers Jason Roy (87) and Jonny Bairstow (51) put on 115 for the first wicket before the latter was caught off the bowling of Shaheen Afridi.
Roy and Joe Root (40) were the next to depart with the hosts sitting on 211-3 from 35.1 overs, but that would be the last wicket to fall as Jos Buttler and captain Eoin Morgan took apart Pakistan’s bowling attack.
Buttler finished on 110 not out from 55 balls as he put on a batting masterclass while Morgan was unbeaten on 71 from just 48 deliveries to help England post a formidable 373-3.
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Pakistan made a good start in reply as they reached 92-0 but Moeen Ali, who is expected to make the final cut for the 15-man World Cup squad, had Imam ul-Haq caught and bowled for 35.
Fakhar Zaman led the onslaught for the visitors as he smashed 138 from 106 balls, helping his side to 227-2 from 32.6 overs before he became Chris Woakes’ one and only victim.
Wickets then began to fall at regular intervals, with pace bowlers Liam Plunkett and David Willey taking two scalps each while leg-spinner Adil Rashid ended with one wicket. Pakistan ended up falling 12 runs short as they finished on 361-7, giving England a 1-0 lead ahead of the Tuesday’s third ODI at The Bristol County Ground.
