4th ODI - Pakistan v England

England take revenge, Completes Whitewash in ODIs

Kevin Pietersen scores his second hundred in 2 games. This time 130 which helped England win 4-0 over Pakistan.

Both the teams had two objectives coming into this match. England wanted to win this to inflict a clean sweep. Pakistan had to win this to salvage some pride. Pakistan got the toss right and they started off on that footing. But it went wrong and they lost a wicket right away. From there, It was the Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali show. They nudged around and got the singles scored the occasional boundary and stitched together a 100 run partnership. They really played well specially Asad Shafiq, he was the major contributor but he was out chopping on a delivery onto his stumps. He played a few lovely shots and he never allowed the bowlers to settle down.

From then Pakistan slowed down a bit wth Azhar Ali getting to a fifty. Umar Akmal got out trying to accelerate the innings. Misbah and Shoiab were getting the runs at a decent rate. The english bowlers were good and they bowled good lines. Yet the bastman were aptly taking their singles and they rotated the strike. Though Pakistan were scoring their runs and nudging around the singles, they never looked to run away with the game. Credit must be given to the bowlers. The fielding though was not upto the mark. The game was well poised at the end of the game and it could go anywhere with Afridi and Adnan Akmal yet to come to the crease.

With the middle order and lower order failing once again, Pakistan managed only 237 in their 50 overs.

England innings started in a unfamiliar manner with their in-form player and skipper Alastair Cook getting out to Junaid Khan for just 5 runs. Jonathan Trott (15) too didn’t last long as he was struck leg before by Rehman and so did Morgan fail to give Kevin Pietersen company.

However the Daredevil cricketer continued his form from the previous game, despite wickets falling at the other end. The pair of Kieswetter and Pietersen were going on well and they hung in without taking unnecessary risks. Nudging the ones and twos they kept knocking the total down. Kieswetter was run out off a good fielding and that did not give any chance for Pakistan; he notched up a fine 43. Kevin Pietersen hung in there and did not aim for finishing the match with big shots, he took it upon himself to get the game past the finish line. He brought up his consecutive hundred of this series and he also went past his highest score with a six. 

Samit Patel on the other hand was more than happy to play the second fiddle to Kevin Pietersen and he did well to take the single and give the strike back when ever he was on strike. He looked to finish it with a big hit and perished just with two runs needed to win. Bresnan walked in and finished it with a boundary and got the much deserving 4-0 clean sweep. Pakistan will have to do much better to stand a chance in the T20s. England on the other hand will go in with lots of confidence.