Mohammad Hafeez struck eight boundaries and two sixes during his knock of 84
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Mohammad Hafeez struck a quickfire 84 and took a wicket as Pakistan snapped their 11-game losing streak with a 14-run win over England in Nottingham.
However, England batsmen Joe Root and Jos Buttler deserve a lot of credit for bringing the game down to the wire as they scored 107 and 103 respectively.
Being put in to bat first, Pakistan got off to a fantastic start as openers Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq amassed an 82-run partnership before Zaman was stumped by Buttler off the bowling of Moeen Ali for 36.
Imam went on to score 44 before he was brilliantly caught by Chris Woakes off the bowling of Moeen.
Babar Azam and Hafeez stabilised the innings with an 88-run partnership, during which Azam surpassed his half-century, before he was caught by Woakes at long-on off the bowling of Moeen for 63, which came off 66 balls and included four boundaries and a six.
Hafeez and Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed added 80 runs to the score before Hafeez was dismissed by Mark Wood for a 62-ball 84, which included eight boundaries and two sixes.
Wood also removed Asif Ali for 14, while Sarfraz went on to score a 44-ball 55, which included five boundaries, before he was caught and bowled by Woakes.
With Woakes taking out Wahab Riaz and Shoaib Malik, Pakistan ended up finishing on 348/8.
Moeen and Woakes picked up three wickets apiece, while Wood chipped in with two.
Chasing 349 to win, England lost opener Jason Roy early on as he was trapped lbw off the bowling of Shadab Khan for eight runs.
Jonny Bairstow mustered 32 runs before he was caught behind off the bowling of Wahab.
England skipper Eoin Morgan only made nine runs before he was clean bowled by Hafeez, while Ben Stokes was caught behind off the bowling of Malik for 13.
Root and Buttler halted Pakistan’s charge with a 130-run partnership, during which Root brought up his hundred, before he was caught by Hafeez off the bowling of Shadab for 107, which came off 104 balls and included 10 boundaries and a six.
Joe Root celebrates after scoring 15th ODI century
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Buttler, who scored England’s fastest World Cup hundred, ended up making a 76-ball 103, which included nine boundaries and two sixes, before he was caught by Wahab at short third man off the bowling of Mohammad Amir.
Jos Buttler scored his ninth ODI hundred
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Moeen Ali managed to make 19 before he was sent packing by Wahab, who had Woakes caught behind for a quickfire 21 the very next ball.
With Amir then removing Jofra Archer, England fell short of their target as they finished on 334/9.
Wahab was the most successful bowler with three wickets, while Amir and Shadab took two wickets apiece. As for Malik and Hafeez, they claimed one wicket each.
Hafeez was named Man of the Match.