LAHORE (The Thursday Times) — Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi took four for 46 as Pakistan bowled England out for 241 in 46.4 overs at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday, despite a century from Ben Duckett in the ODI tri-series. Pakistan need 242 to win.
Shaheen struck in his first over, when Tom Banton edged to Arafat Minhas at slip for four, and removed Joe Root for five in the third, caught by Saim Ayub. England were 19 for three after five overs: Harry Brook had been run out for one after a mix-up involving debutant Razaullah and wicketkeeper Saad Baig. Haris Rauf then had Cox caught behind by Babar Azam for six, leaving England 52 for four in the 10th over.
Duckett’s fifth ODI hundred
Duckett rebuilt the innings with Curran, the pair adding 93 for the fifth wicket. Duckett reached his fifty off 56 balls and his century off 104, his fifth in ODIs and his first against Pakistan. He pulled Rauf for four, hit Salman Ali Agha over deep midwicket for six and drove Shadab Khan through the covers.
Curran made 42 off 52 balls before Shaheen had him caught by Salman at fine leg in the 27th over. Duckett fell for 105 off 111 balls, with 10 fours and two sixes, caught by Salman at short fine leg off Arafat in the 37th over.
A late flurry
Razaullah took a sharp return catch to remove Jacks for 13, his maiden ODI wicket, and Shadab caught Dawson for five at deep square leg. Arafat had Overton caught by Babar at long-off for 10. Atkinson hit three sixes in an unbeaten 36 off 28 balls to take England past 200 before Shaheen ended the innings, debutant Crocombe caught by Babar for eight.
Pakistan wore pink on Sunday to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Day, part of the PCB’s Pinktober campaign. They beat England in Rawalpindi on Tuesday in the teams’ first meeting of the three-nation series, which also features Sri Lanka. The top two sides meet in the final in Lahore on October 31.∎
