England won by 12 runs
PLAYER OF THE MATCH : Jos Buttler
Batter
Bowler
Pakistan have struggled with the ball, as have England - and the batting of both the sides showed merit. It was, in the end, a run-fest, and both the sides certainly need to work on their bowling over the course of the next 3 ODIs. That's it, then, from our coverage at the comm. box, as we head to Bristol for the third ODI on Tuesday (May 14th). Until then, we're signing off and going to get some sleep. Ciao!
19:18 Local Time: A fantastic start to the innings by Fakhar and Imam, and another excellent partnership between the former and Babar too. However, after the wicket of Fakhar and Babar in quick succession, the pressure showed, and other than Asif Ali and Sarfaraz, batsmen failed to capitalize and gave away their wickets under pressure. Finally, it came down to 19 off 6, and Woakes comfortably defended it with an excellent barrage of wide yorkers. England go 1-0 up in the series, thanks to a scintillating innings by Buttler and a just-about-good-enough bowling performance.
END OF OVER 50
6 Runs
PAK: 361 - 7
2 Wd 1 0 1 0 1
Hasan Ali
4 (4)
Sarfaraz Ahmed
41 (32)
Chris Woakes
9-0-72-1
Woakes to Hasan Ali, 1 run, dead straight, a yorker, dug out towards mid-on for a single, and England win the match a little less convincingly than they would've liked. 1-0.
Woakes to Hasan Ali, no run, wide yorker, right on the tramline, Hasan Ali expects the call for wide - it doesn't come
14 off 2. Only a no-ball or extras can help Pakistan now.
Woakes to Sarfaraz, 1 run, full and wide outside off, Sarfaraz slices it over the in-field towards sweeper cover for a single
Woakes to Sarfaraz, no run, full and wide outside off, just inside the tramline, and that's not given a wide. 15 off 3 now!
Woakes to Hasan Ali, 1 run, full and wide, Hasan Ali has a go at it, tries to cream it through the off-side, gets a thick edge straight to Moeen at short third man. Unlucky Hasan
Woakes to Hasan Ali, wide, full and wide outside off, Ali moves across, but that's well past the wide line. England aren't happy with this - dissent
Woakes to Hasan Ali, 2 runs, full and wide outside off, Hasan Ali clubs it away over the in-field towards extra cover for a couple
Chris Woakes [8.0-0-66-1] is back into the attack
19 to win off the last over. Sarfaraz is the key, but he isn't the man on strike. It's Hasan Ali at the end that matters, and Chris Woakes will bowl the final over. Fine leg, third man, and square leg inside the circle. Here we go...
END OF OVER 49
8 Runs
PAK: 355 - 7
1 3 1 1 W 2
Hasan Ali
0 (0)
Sarfaraz Ahmed
40 (30)
Plunkett
9-0-64-2
Plunkett to Sarfaraz, 2 runs, back to the short of length strategy, clubbed cross-batted over mid-off for a couple
Hasan Ali, right handed bat, comes to the crease
Plunkett to Faheem Ashraf, out Caught by Stokes! He goes full this time, the double-bluff, not quite a yorker, but Faheem Ashraf just scoops it up with a lot of the pitch, straight to Stokes at mid-off who settles comfortably under it. Pakistan in a wee bit of trouble now - they need a six off the next ball to stand a realistic chance. Faheem Ashraf c Stokes b Plunkett 3(4)
Plunkett to Faheem Ashraf, THATS OUT!! Caught!!
Plunkett to Sarfaraz, 1 run, short at the body again, pulled away to cow corner for a single
Plunkett to Faheem Ashraf, 1 run, short one, at the body, late on the hook, and gets it away off the sticker to backward square leg for a single
Plunkett to Sarfaraz, 3 runs, short and at the body, pulled away towards deep midwicket, but it lands short of Willey - who fires in a throw at Buttler, poorly directed, and Buttler tries to parry it onto the stumps with a back-flick, but concedes an overthrow instead
Plunkett to Faheem Ashraf, 1 run, full and wide, Faheem Ashraf reaches out and tries to squeeze it towards the off-side, gets a thick under-edge ontothe pads and towards the on-side for a quick single