Imad, Plunkett exchange heated words in second ODI

The tourists’ sluggish advance to 260 for six in Wednesday’s rain-affected series opener at the Ageas Bowl, won by Eoin Morgan’s side at a canter, was reminiscent of the cricket England played before last summer’s white-ball revolution.

Imad Wasim’s 63 not out was also his career-best score at this level and the left-hander helped Ahmed add 77 for the sixth wicket.

Joe Root expertly marshalled the England chase as they reeled off a four-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second one-day global at Lord’s.

Stephen Cook (56) and Quinton de Kock (82) gave South Africa a strong start with an opening partnership of 133. Morgan’s knock on his Middlesex home ground ended a run of 23 global innings without a fifty for him.

England’s chase got off to a shaky start when Jason Roy dragged the second ball of the innings from Mohammad Amir into…

Just when England were in trouble, Root and skipper Eoin Morgan (68) batted with caution mixed with aggression to take England past the 100-run mark in the 22nd over. Anyone who witnessed the performance of Azhar Ali’s side at Lord’s on Saturday would have been forgiven for thinking Moores had taken the job.

Ahmed reached his fifty off 61 deliveries but Malik was caught behind off the bowling of Wood (3-46) ending the 59-run stand for the fifth wicket.

In the immediate term England will be strengthened even further by Ben Stokes’s return to bowling in the third one-dayer after his right calf injury.

Sami Aslam, replacing the out-of-form Mohammad Hafeez, scored one in 10 balls and departed to the slightest brush of glove off Woakes, third umpire Simon Fry overturning the on-field verdict. Once play resumed Pakistan lost wickets of Sarfraz and Malik quickly.

But Sarfraz frustrated England with a mixture of orthodox and improvised shots.

But soon after, in trying to accelerate the scoring towards the end of the innings, he swept an Adil Rashid ball straight to Alex Hales at deep midwicket.

Ben Stokes will be back off his long run in the third one-day worldwide against Pakistan at Trent Bridge – and admits he has had a gutful of not bowling.