England defeat Pakistan in rain-hit ODI

Jason Roy and Joe Root struck fifties to earn England a 44-run win over Pakistan on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in the rain-hit first one-day worldwide, at the Ageas Bowl.

“It was a case of not having enough sugar on me apparently, that’s it plain and simple”, said Roy.

Admitting that the series against Pakistan would be “tough”, the 29-year-old, however, said his side were fully geared up for the upcoming challenge ahead of the winter tours, the Dawn reported.

“I was able to get my bearings, settle and re-set myself and just go again”, he added.

Umar Gul (1-46) gave Pakistan the breakthrough when he had Hales caught at first slip.

Roy, who needed treatment for what seemed to be a spell of dizziness, scored with typical freedom, playing some extraordinary straight-batted drives through the leg side and one sweep for six off the spin of Imad Wasim.

“I hate missing cricket, but in the long run it will do me a world of good”, said Smith, who is returning home with three ODIs and two Twenty20s still to be played.

Root, England’s star batsman in all three formats, was untroubled while hitting six fours in 72 balls.

The first ODI of the five-match series will begin at 06:00 pm as Pakistan Standard Time (PST). “You always look for 300, but definitely 290”.

Wood, making his first worldwide appearance since England’s tour of the UAE previous year, was consistently above 90mph in his opening spell – his ankle no longer impeding his ability to throw his body through the crease – and he claimed the first wicket of the day, Sharjeel Khan getting a thin top edge on a pull, confirmed by the Snickometer after a review, after biffing a few early boundaries.

But Babar, who faced just 42 balls, was unlucky when given out lbw to leg-spinner Rashid by Australian umpire Simon Fry, even though replays clearly showed an inside edge.

In the next two overs, Azhar Ali (82) was dropped twice, once by Alex Hales and then by Jos Buttler.

However, as Sharjeel had wasted Pakistan’s lone review of the innings, Babar had to go and Pakistan were now 113 for three off 24 overs.

Azhar pressed on to a relatively sedate 84-ball fifty before upping his tempo. Azhar was a member of the Pakistan team that secured an impressive 2-2 draw in a recent four-Test series against England and is now looking for his side to hit similar heights in the five-match ODI series starting in Southampton today.

Neither Ali’s measured 82 nor Sarfraz’s 55 from 58 balls proved sufficient to put the tourists in the box seat.

Azhar’s demise in the 36th over, caught top-edging Rashid to Moeen Ali at short third man, brought the experienced Shoaib Malik to the crease.