Saqib Mahmood returned to England duty with a four-wicket haul as the fully-replaced hosts put their Covid-19 problems behind them with a nine-wicket win over Pakistan in the first One Day International in Cardiff on Thursday .
Player of the match Mahmood took an ODI best of 4-42 as Pakistan were bowled out for just 141, with more than 14 overs left to bat. England, the 50-over world champions, went 1-0 up at 142-1. in a three-match series before Saturday’s clash at Lord’s. David Malan was dismissed for 68 after a run-ball half-century.
Along with Test batsman Zak Crowley (58 not out), one of five ODI debutants in the England team, he shared an unbroken stand of 120, as the match scheduled for 100 overs ended in only 67.1, with England overall. Was fielding the changed XI. The last ODI – which happened for the first time in the 50-year history of the format – was basically all 16 players within their current squad following a Covid-19 outbreak during their recent 2-0 series win at home in Sri Lanka. Was selected to play in self-isolation against Pakistan.
Furthermore, injuries to the likes of pacers Jofra Archer and Ollie Stone and wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler meant they were effectively without two first-choice XIs. Yet his ‘C team’ dominated from the time Mahmood took a wicket on the first ball of the match – and then dismissed the world’s top ODI batsman, Pakistan captain Babar Azam – for a duck on the third ball.
Such was the command of England, with stand-in captain Ben Stokes bowling just one over despite being the most experienced member of the World Cup winning attack.
– Sensational start –
England made a sensational start when Mahmood lobbed Imam-ul-Haq off the first ball, after a review by Stokes confirmed that the delivery was in line. Two balls later, Mahmood had a prize wicket when Azam caught Crowley at second slip, in which Pakistan had yet to score a run.
And when Mahmood lbw Pakistan debutant Saud Shakeel for five, the tourists were 26-4 from seven overs. But Fakhar Zaman retaliated to the delight of Pakistan fans in a crowd limited to 2,251 by the Welsh government’s virus restrictions. The left-handed opener hit several fine boundaries, including a brilliant straight drive from debutant pacer Brydon Carsey.
New batsman Sohaib Maqsood, in his first ODI for five years, flat-batted Carsey at extra cover for six. But a promising stand of 53 came to an end in ridiculous fashion when non-striker Maqsood tempted the pitch by advancing Zaman’s call. A single, was undone when his partner suddenly stopped, James Vince running him out for 19.
Pakistan, confined to intra-squad rather than tour matches, badly needed in-touch ground to continue. However, his innings of 47 including six fours came to an end when a wrong cut off leg-spinner Matt Parkinson gently lobbed the back point. And when Mahmud caught Faheem Ashraf behind, Pakistan was 101-7.
England’s first opener Phil Salt – born in Wales but now with Sussex – fell cheap when he dismissed Shaheen Shah Afridi at first slip. But Malan scored a run-a-ball half-century with Crowley – after a run of low scores at Test level – faster than the landmark.
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