Ton-up Alex Hales leads England to 95-run win over Pakistan; series level 1-1

ABU DHABI: Alex Hales smashed a maiden hundred and Chris Woakes ended his wicket drought with four victims as England beat Pakistan by 95 runs to win the second one-day international on Friday.

Hales’s 109 was the cornerstone of England’s challenging 283-5 before Woakes – wicketless in his last six games – took 4-33 to help dismiss Pakistan for 188 in 45.5 overs at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

The victory levelled the four-match series at 1-1 after Pakistan won the first game by six wickets – also in Abu Dhabi – on Wednesday.

Pakistan were out of the hunt after losing half their side for 50 in the 19th over as Woakes, wicketless in his last six matches, ripped through the middle-order.

But it was David Willey who removed opener Babar Azam (four) and first match centurion Mohammad Hafeez (nought) in his first three overs before finishing with 3-25.

Woakes had debutant Iftikhar Ahmed caught for five, Shoaib Malik (13) caught off a miscued pull and then had skipper Azhar Ali bowled after a laborious 45-ball 22.

Sarfraz, who top-scored with 64, added 30 with Mohammad Rizwan (17) for the sixth wicket and 65 for the seventh wicket with Anwar (23) but it only delayed Pakistan’s defeat.

Sarfraz fought a lone battle, hitting three boundaries during his 76-ball knock before falling to Woakes in the 45th over.

England captain Eoin Morgan said his team had learnt from the mistakes of the last game.

“It’s an excellent performance,” he said. “The important thing is that we learnt from the last game, particularly in batting. Hales and Jason Roy (54) were outstanding and their stand (102 for the first wicket) made a huge impact on our total.”

Pakistan skipper Ali praised England.

“I think England played well, we were expecting that from them and although our bowlers did well to restrict them, we didn’t bat as per the need,” said Ali.

Hales shared a 102-run partnership for the first wicket with Roy (54) and another 114 for the second with Joe Root (63) as England put up a challenging total.

England got off to a confident start on a pitch used for the second match in a row, as Roy and Hales lifted the tempo after the first ten overs.

Roy smashed two boundaries off paceman Wahab Riaz to bring up his third one-day fifty off 53 balls but four runs later miscued a drive and was caught by Shoaib Malik off Riaz who finished with 3-43.

Hales continued in his aggressive style, improving on his previous best of 67 made against New Zealand at Nottingham earlier this year, clobbering two sixes off leg-spinner Yasir Shah.

He successfully challenged Pakistani umpire Shozab Raza’s decision of caught behind off Riaz when 48 and paddle-swept Iftikhar for two to reach the three-figure mark off 111 balls.

He was finally stumped off Iftikhar by Sarfraz Ahmed in the 39th over.

Root added 40 for the third wicket with Eoin Morgan (29) before Riaz returned for his second spell to take out Root’s leg stump with a slower one. Root hit three boundaries off 77 balls.

Jos Butler was cleaned up by Riaz for 11 as England managed just 27 runs in the last five overs.

Pakistan had brought in Iftikhar and Rizwan as two changes from the first match but England remained unchanged.

The third match will be played in Sharjah on Tuesday.