NOTTINGHAM, June 3: Resilient Pakistan silenced critics with a marvelous 14 runs win against hosts England in their second match of the World Cup tournament played at Trent Bridge on Monday.
Mohammad Hafeez missed out on becoming the first century-maker of the World Cup but a vastly improved batting display from Pakistan saw them make 348 for eight. Hafeez made the most of a reprieve when Jason Roy floored a routine chance at mid-off following a skied drive off Adil Rashid, with the batsman on 14.
With Babar Azam (63) and Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed (55) also making fifties, this was a major turnaround from a Pakistan side who collapsed to 105 all out in a seven-wicket defeat by the West Indies in their World Cup opener at the same ground on Friday.
Meanwhile, the fast bowling sensation Mohammad Aamir appeared to have regained his form as his phenomenal bowling display of 2-67 proved to be the difference between both the sides.
But Pakistan coped well on a ground where England had twice set a world record for the highest one-day international total — 444 for three against Pakistan in 2016 and last year´s 481 for six against Australia.
Yet having failed to defend a score of 340 against England — the world´s top-ranked ODI side — at Trent Bridge last month, the worry for Pakistan was that they may not have put enough runs on the board.
For all the talk about England´s quicks, it was off-spinner Moeen Ali who took the first three wickets Monday on his way to figures of three for 50.
By contrast, fast bowler Jofra Archer´s 10 wicketless overs cost 79 runs while Woakes, who equalled the record of four catches by an outfielder in a World Cup innings, took an expensive three for 71 in eight overs.
