England v Pakistan, 1st ODI: Five Talking Points

For perhaps the second time this month, the opening up of the heavens did not play a role in the result as England went on to pick up a 44-run win in the first ODI. Playing on a wicket that is somewhat difficult to bat on, Pakistan did well to notch up 260 in their 50 overs. However, as soon as the rains came, it was clear that only a Jason Roy blitz could save the Brits from the jaws of defeat.

1. Azhar Ali plays a captain’s knock

Azhar Ali, the skipper of the Pakistan side was Pakistan’s best batsman by a country mile. Although it was clear that the others pitched in to add to the eventual score of 260, Azhar Ali smashed 82 as he was the rock among the wickets that continued to fall. As an opening batsman, Azhar was also highly successful in setting the tone for the Pakistanis who were rocked by the devastating pace of Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett.

2. Sarfraz and Babar Azam add important runs

Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed was perhaps one of the most important players on the day for Pakistan. While he has always impressed with his glove work, Sarfraz also impressed with the bat on the day. He smashed a quickfire 55 runs as the Pakistanis put their total in a safety zone. He was also supported well by Babar Azam who smashed 40 off 42 deliveries. The rest of the Pakistan batsmen, however, were more than content with just starts.

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3. England pacers impress

The England pace attack for a long while now has been all about teamwork. If one makes the inroads in the batting unit, the other one strikes. Sure enough, all of England’s pacers Woakes, Wood, and Plunkett impressed with the ball as they were able to clock speeds in and around the 90 mph mark. Moreover, the fact remained that the Pakistan batsmen had no answers to them.

4. Jason Roy sets the tone for the England innings

Jason Roy is known for being an explosive batsman up the order. Although he cannot do it on a consistent basis, it is clear that Jason Roy delivers when it matters the most. Sure enough, Roy smashed the Pakistan bowlers to different parts of the stadium as he notched up 65 of just 56 deliveries. His compilation included 6 boundaries and a solitary six.

5. Joe Root ‘sings in the rain’

The rain interval saw the Duckworth-Lewis Method come into an inevitable implementation. However, in spite of this, Joe Root was well set and ready to ‘sing in the rain’. Root smashed a characteristic 61 as the Brits clinched a 44-run win in the first ODI of the series. He was given company by skipper Eoin Morgan as the latter smashed 33 and remained unbeaten till the very end.

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