Pakistan wins toss, opts to field against England in 5th ODI

Mohammad Irfan picked up the injury during the fourth ODI against England.

Visitors, Pakistan will go head-to-head against England in the fifth and final ODI of the five-match ODI series on Sunday.

England’s strength is that they can rely on everyone.

Jos Buttler was still experiencing tightness in his hamstring, which forced him to miss the previous game, and it would appear unlikely that he’d be risked, which means another chance for Bairstow.

With Mohammad Irfan, 7ft 1ins tall, recalled to the team, the tourists were inspired during the early part of England’s innings. In came giant paceman Mohammad Irfan, seamer Umar Gul, batsman Mohammad Rizwan and Wasim. Roy was gone for 14 and his fellow opener Hales lasted not much longer.

England have already won the series 4-1 against Pakistan which continue to justify their ninth ranking in ODIs with their low standard performance in the format.

Roy was dismissed in the 28th over when he top edged Amir to mid-wicket and Stokes spliced an easy catch off Hasan as Pakistan hit back late in the innings, limiting England to 58 in the last 10 overs.

England have an unbeaten lead of three-nil in the series.

Luckily for them, Stokes enjoys such situations.

Stokes, not required to bat on Tuesday, combined aggression and maturity, while Bairstow replicated the sparkling Test form he has shown this year.

He went on to get a run-a-ball fifty, including five fours and a six, before slog-sweeping Wasim to Babar Azam at mid-wicket.

Bairstow also brought about his own downfall, charging for his umpteenth tight single. It was one gamble too many, as this time Azhar Ali threw down the stumps from mid-on. It did not matter, though, as Moeen saw England home.

The cricket board further informed that the 34-year-old bowler would now head home and work on his fitness in the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

Bowling in tandem with fellow spinner Adil Rashid – the legspinner ended with 3-47 – England might have hoped to knock Pakistan over for less than 200.

Moeen did not concede a boundary in his 10 overs (despite his now-obligatory beamer which cleared Jonny Bairstow).

HAMPSHIRE all-rounder Liam Dawson made a losing England ODI debut today as his country’s bid for a historic Royal London Series whitewash foundered in a four-wicket defeat against Pakistan in Cardiff.

Plunkett’s second catch was a stand-out, and removed the risky Sarfraz Ahmed who hadn’t been able to break free, when he flung himself to his left at mid-on to intercept Sarfraz’s attempt to send Rashid down the ground. After two day trials at Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium, Islamabad the Pakistan Hockey Federation Saturday announced 18 member Pakistan Under-18 team for the 4th Junior Asia Cup in Dhaka, Bangladesh scheduled to be played from September 24-30, 2016.

Plunkett held a good catch at point from a Babar Azam cut in Moeen’s first over, and a much better one diving to his left at mid-on as Rashid saw off the unsafe Sarfaz Ahmed. The risky Sarfraz Ahmed made the same score before he drove Rashid to mid-on.

One of the players who has been emblematic of England’s new style of ODI cricket is Mahmood’s Surrey team-mate Jason Roy.

Bairstow, despite hitting a huge six down the ground off Mohammad Nawaz, was more circumspect, seemingly set on being at the crease until the bitter end.