RAWALPINDI: Pakistan were struggling at 94 for four after 21.1 overs against England in the second match of the ODI tri-series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, as the visitors capitalised on their decision to bowl first.
England captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to field, and his bowlers quickly put Pakistan under pressure by removing three top-order batters before leg-spinner Adil Rashid dismissed Salman Ali Agha.
Pakistan had entered the match on the back of a 37-run victory over Sri Lanka in their opening fixture but faced an early challenge against an England attack featuring both pace and spin.
England Bowlers Strike Early
Gus Atkinson made an immediate impact by dismissing opener Fakhar Zaman for a golden duck with the first ball of the innings. Joe Root took the catch at midwicket to give England an ideal start.
Sonny Baker then removed Saim Ayub for eight, with Sam Curran completing the catch as the left-handed opener attempted to attack the young seamer.
Babar Azam tried to stabilise the innings after the early setbacks, scoring 34 runs before Will Jacks bowled the former Pakistan captain with a straight delivery.
The dismissal left Pakistan reeling at 59 for three and placed greater responsibility on the remaining batters to rebuild the innings.
Adil Rashid Removes Salman Ali Agha
Young wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig attempted to steady Pakistan’s innings alongside Salman Ali Agha, who had scored a century in the team’s opening win over Sri Lanka.
However, England continued to apply pressure, with Rashid breaking the partnership by dismissing Salman for 10.
Pakistan were subsequently left relying on their middle and lower order to recover and build a competitive total against the visitors.
With several established batters already back in the pavilion, Saad Baig and the remaining players faced the task of rebuilding the innings and preventing England from tightening their grip on the contest.
Brook Chooses to Bowl First
After winning the toss, England captain Harry Brook said his team would aim to restrict Pakistan to a manageable total before chasing the target.
“We will be trying to restrict them and then will try to chase that,” Brook said.
He added that England were looking forward to the challenge despite the different opposition and conditions in the tri-series.
“We have an experienced side, but this is a different series, different occasion and we will be trying to do well,” he said.
England received a boost with the return of leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who had missed the previous series because of fitness issues.
Mohammad Rizwan Set for Domestic Cricket Return
Shaheen Afridi Wants Better Batting Performance
Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi said his team would assess the conditions during the opening overs and aim to post a competitive total.
“I hope we will be able to post a good total,” Afridi said after the toss.
Reflecting on Pakistan’s opening victory over Sri Lanka, he acknowledged that the batting unit still had room for improvement despite the positive result.
“I feel we played like 50 percent in batting. A few batsmen are not in touch, but hope things will go in the right direction,” he said.
Pakistan had retained the same playing XI that defeated Sri Lanka by 37 runs in their opening match.
Tri-Series Final Scheduled for October 31
The three-team ODI competition features Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka, with the teams competing for a place in the final scheduled for October 31.
Pakistan will be looking to recover from their early batting collapse and build on their opening victory, while England will aim to turn their strong start into a commanding position.
The match remains an important test for Pakistan’s batting line-up as they seek to maintain momentum in the tournament.
Pakistan Playing XI
Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Saad Baig, Hasan Nawaz, Salman Ali Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Arafat Minhas, Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah.
England Playing XI
Ben Duckett, Tom Banton, Joe Root, Harry Brook (captain), Jordan Cox (wicketkeeper), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Adil Rashid and Sonny Baker.
