Pakistan’s pre-World Cup tour didn’t go exactly as planned as Sarfaraz Ahmed and his side were humbled 0-4, losing the fifth and final ODI by 54 runs in Leeds on Sunday (May 19). Set a massive 352, Pakistan folded for 297 as Babar Azam and the captain did the bulk of the scoring before the hosts closed the game.
With the series done and dusted, the focus will now shift on the World Cup as both sides need to finalise their squads. While Pakistan more or less have got their answers – with Mohammad Amir’s unavailability – England selectors have a few tough choices to make. Pakistan, though, need some serious venom in their bowling line-up as England managed to post four consecutive 340-plus totals in the series.
On the day, their total of 351 for 9 was set up by the fast start from the openers and then the 107-run third-wicket stand between Eoin Morgan and Joe Root.
Though both middle-order batsmen failed to convert their half-centuries to ton, they threatened to take the side over 400 before the visitors staged a comeback.
James Vince and Jonny Bairstow gave the side 63 runs for the first wicket but their adventurism got the better of them.
Root and Morgan helped the side cruise past 200 in the 26th over as Pakistan continued to struggle. They were once again sloppy on the field but recovered well in the death overs.
England suffered a middle-order wobble that started with the wicket of Root as Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes and David Willey failed to capitalise on the platform set.
Tom Curran did his World Cup prospects no harm as he lifted the side to over 350 after they were tottering at 295 for 7 with more than five overs to go. Pakistan do take away some positives but leave with more worry lines.
Brief scores: England 351/9 in 50 overs (Joe Root 84; Shaheen Afridi 4-82) beat Pakistan 297 in 46.5 overs (Sarfaraz Ahmed 97; Chris Woakes 5-54) by 54 runs.
Their chase was dented early as they lost three wickets in the first three overs, and all of them to Chris Woakes. Babar and Sarfaraz did an exceptional repair job – scoring 146 for the fourth wicket – to revive the chase. The asking rate, however, kept climbing and the two run-outs more of less sealed Pakistan’s fate just when they were primed for a timely assault.
Babar was run out first – by Rashid – before Pakistan were dented with another wicket of Shoaib Malik. And then the run out of Sarfaraz – with Buttler affecting the dismissal this time – left the visitors 193 for 6 and with a mountain to climb. Woakes picked up a five-wicket haul, and registered his best figures in ODIs, with the lower order crumbling under pressure. Mohammad Hasnain and Shaheen Afridi scored 47 for the final wicket to frustrate the hosts and fans.
Despite the series win, the England bowlers will be the one more nervous as Ed Smith and the think-tank sit down to pick the final 15. Jofra Archer played just two games and picked up just two wickets. But the fight is between Willey and Curran for one spot. Curran walked away with six wickets while Willey had four from three matches at a slightly better economy rate.
