England vs Pakistan: Azhar Ali and Sarfraz Ahmed make half centuries to set hosts target of 261 to win first ODI

Solid showing: Pakistan have set England 261
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
Tom Collomosse24 August 2016

Azhar Ali and Sarfraz Ahmed made half-centuries as Pakistan set England 261 to win the first one-day international at Southampton.

Pakistan had completed 42 of their 50 overs in the opening one-day international of the five-match series when a short rain break halted their progress at 218 for four.

Both Sarfraz and Shoaib were out in the final eight overs as Pakistan closed 260 for six.

The tourists, fresh from rising to top spot in the Test rankings, chose to bat after winning the toss but struggled in the early overs against England pace bowler Mark Wood, who regularly clocked above 90mph on the speed gun.

Wood took the first wicket to fall, unnerving Sharjeel Khan with a bouncer.

Despite clearly edging the ball behind for 16, Sharjeel asked for the review – a strange and unwise decision that would cost his team.

England were on top at this stage and captain Eoin Morgan introduced the part-time off-spin of Joe Root.

The decision paid off as with his eighth delivery, Root tempted Mohammad Hafeez to sweep, and Alex Hales took the catch in the deep.

Hales showed safer hands than he had in the first powerplay, when he put down Azhar on nine. Hales claimed he had failed to pick up the trajectory of the ball from his position at backward point, but he should still have caught it.

Azhar made England pay, though he took some time to get going.

Michael Steele/Getty Images

He lost partner Babar Azam for a 42-ball 40, though Azam was hugely unlucky.

Given out lbw to Adil Rashid, replays showed that the ball had hit bat before pad.

But with Pakistan’s only review burned by Sharjeel, Azam was powerless to contest the decision.

Once Azhar passed 50, he accelerated, taking the attack to Liam Plunkett and Rashid.

Yet Rashid would have the final word. Having reached 82, Azhar tried to slog-sweep from outside off, but simply top-edged a catch to short third-man.

At that stage, Pakistan were 178 for four with 14 overs remaining.

They needed Sarfraz to contribute and he maintained the form he showed in the Test series with a breezy innings.

He and Shoaib Malik swiftly added 40 in six overs before the teams had to leave the field.

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