BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan skipper Babar Azam’s stunning knock of 158 was in vain as England’s second string side completed a record run chase at Edgbaston to win by three wickets on Tuesday and clinch the three-match One-day International series 3-0.

Set a target of 332 for victory, James Vince smashed 11 boundaries en route to his maiden ODI century (102) which helped guide England home with two overs to spare as a sloppy Pakistan dropped catches and conceded runs through several misfields.

Opener Dawid Malan was sent back for a second straight duck in the series but Phil Salt (37) and Zak Crawley (39) — both dismissed by Haris Rauf — attacked the bowlers to keep the chase on track, with the first 100 runs scored by the 13th over.

Skipper Ben Stokes (32) lived dangerously and was let off by Pakistan when he was dropped in the deep on 7 and 18 before a slog sweep off spinner Shadab Khan drew a faint edge to wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan.

Vince built a 129-run partnership with Lewis Gregory, who contributed with a crucial 77 before he was dismissed when Shadab caught a high, swirling ball as the all-rounder attempted to launch Haris into the stands.

Gregory’s wicket, with 29 to get, gave Pakistan a lifeline but Craig Overton (18) and Brydon Carse (12) remained unbeaten to guide England home amid a celebratory mood in the stands at Edgbaston.

Earlier, Babar’s career-best score was the cornerstone of the Pakistan innings. He was running out of partners and fell in the final over when he was caught off a top edge while going for a big shot.

Babar, who is ranked number one among batsmen in ODIs, fell 15 runs short of 4,000 runs and the crowd gave the 26-year-old a standing ovation as he walked back to the pavilion.

England next play Pakistan in three Twenty20 Interna­tionals, starting from Friday at Trent Bridge.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Imam-ul-Haq b Parkinson 56

F. Zaman c Crawley b Mahmood 6

Babar Azam C Malan b Carse 158

M. Rizwan c Simpson b Carse 74

Sohaib Maqsood c Vince b Carse 8

Hasan Ali c Crawley b Carse 4

Faheem Ashraf b Mahmood 10

S. Khan c Simpson b Mahmood 0

Saud Shakeel not out 3

S. Shah Afridi c Vince b Carse 0

Haris Rauf not out 0

EXTRAS: (lb-3, w-9) 12

TOTAL: (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 331

FALL OF WKTS: 1-21 (Fakhar), 2-113 (Imam), 3-292 (Rizwan), 4-305 (Sohaib), 5-309 (Hasan), 6-324 (Faheem), 7-324 (Shadab), 8-328 (Babar), 9-329 (Shaheen).

BOWLING: Mahmood 10-2-60-3 (4w); Gregory 7-0-42-0 (1w); Overton 10-0-64-0 (1w); Carse 10-0-61-5 (1w); Stokes 4-0-31-0 (1w); Parkinson 9-0-70-1 (1w).

ENGLAND:

P.D. Salt c Fakhar b Haris 37

D.J. Malan c Rizwan b Hasan 0

Z. Crawley b Haris 39

J.M. Vince c Babar b Haris 102

B.A. Stokes c Rizwan b Shadab 32

J.A. Simpson lbw b Shadab 3

L. Gregory c Shadab b Haris 77

C. Overton not out 18

B.A. Carse not out 12

EXTRAS: (LB-5, W-7) 12

TOTAL: (for seven wkts, 48 overs) 332

FALL OF WKTS: 1-19 (Malan), 2-53 (Salt), 3-104 (Crawley), 4-151 (Stokes), 5-165 (Simpson), 6-294 (Vince), 7-303 (Gregory).

DID NOT BAT: S. Mahmood, M.W. Parkinson.

BOWLING: Shaheen Shah Afridi 10-0-78-0 (1w); Hasan Ali 9-0-69-1 (5w); Haris Rauf 9-0-65-4 (1w); Faheem Ashraf 6-0-34-0; Shadab Khan 10-0-61-2; Saud Shakeel 4-0-20-0.

RESULT: England won by three wickets to win three-match series 3-0.

UMPIRES: R.K. Illingworth (England) and D.J. Millns (England).

TV UMPIRE: R.A. Kettleborough (England).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: James Vince.

PLAYER-OF-THE-SERIES: Saqib Mahmood.

FIRST MATCH: Cardiff, England won by nine wickets.

SECOND MATCH: Lord’s, England won by 52 runs.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2021