Pakistan level ODI series with Lord's victory

21/09/2010

The England v Pakistan ODI campaign is finely poised after the tourists levelled the series 2-2 with a 38-run win at Lord's yesterday (September 20th 2010).

Having won the toss and elected to bat, Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi saw his team get off to a steady start, with opener Mohammad Hafeez hitting a workmanlike 64 from 100 balls.

Lower middle-order batsmen Umar Akmal and Fawad Alam plodded along at strike rates of 52.5 and 55.76 respectively and threatened to post a disappointing total, before the latter was clean bowled by Graeme Swann.

This brought Afridi to the crease and the all-rounder lived up to his nickname of Boom Boom by smashing 37 from 22 deliveries.

Abdul Razzaq then blitzed 44 from 20 balls, including eight fours and a six, to set the hosts a challenging 266 to win the England v Pakistan ODI.

Aside from Andrew Strauss's 68 and 49 from Steven Davies, the home side never really got going and were all out in the 47th over, 38 runs short of their target.

The deciding match of the series takes place at the Rose Bowl tomorrow.

Posted by Sam Smith