3rd ODI PAK V ENG

England 210/4 beat Pakistan 208 by 6 wickets 

England have taken a 2-1 lead in the four-match one-day international series against Pakistan thanks to a six-wicket victory in the penultimate match in Sharjah. It was an impressive display from England's bowlers as David Willey, Reece Topley and Moeen Ali all took a wicket apiece after Pakistan opened the batting. 

However, the glory went to Chris Woakes, who finished on figures of 4-40, taking out Babar Azam (22), Iftikhar Ahmed (3), Zafar Gohar (15) and Mohammad Irfan for a duck. Pakistan struggled on the attack as Mohammad Hafeez top-scored with 45, contributing to a total of 208 as the team were bowled out in the final over the innings. Despite a positive display on the field, England's chase started poorly as opening batsman Jason Roy was dismissed by Irfan for just seven inside the third over. 

Joe Root was the next to fall on just 11 runs, but it was not all doom and gloom for the Yorkshireman as he has now reached an impressive 2,000 runs in 2015 in all formats of the game. With England on just 27 runs, Alex Hales and Eoin Morgan were given the task of leading the attack, but the former, who claimed his first ever one-day international century on Friday, mustered 30 runs before he was taken out by Gohar. 

Shoaib Malik bowled out Morgan for 35, giving Pakistan some momentum, but James Taylor and Jos Buttler managed to put England back on top. Taylor brought up his seventh ODI half century with a second six of the innings, leaving England requiring 29 runs to win the contest. An unbeaten 117-run partnership between Taylor (67) and Buttler (49) resulted in England reaching that 209 total with 54 balls to spare. 


Pakistan 208 all out (49.5 overs)

England need only 209 to take a 2-1 series lead against Pakistan after bowling the hosts out in the final over of the third one-day international in Sharjah. After winning the toss and electing to bat, Pakistan openers Azhar Ali and Babar Azam started strongly, nudging the new-ball swing of David Willey and Reece Topley around the ground to keep the scoreboard ticking over. 

The duo put on 45 for the first wicket before Azam (22) went in the 11th over with a top-edge to Adil Rashid in the deep off the bowling of Chris Woakes. Three of Pakistan's wickets were run-outs and the first of those saw the end of Ali for 36 after he and Mohammad Hafeez had put on 47 for the second wicket. Pakistan danger-man Hafeez hit two sixes on his way to 45 before he pulled a Willey delivery to Root in the deep, leaving Pakistan on 132-3 in the 30th over. 

The top-order had put the hosts in a solid position, but the middle-order failed to build the innings as more confusion led to their demise. Both Shoaib Malik (16) and Mohammad Rizwan (1) lost their wickets cheaply to run-outs and England were soon into the tail-end. Debutant Zafar Gohar played eccentrically for his 15 off 15 balls and the unbeaten Wahab Riaz helped Pakistan past the 200-mark in the closing overs with a quickfire 33. 

In a dramatic last over, Woakes collected his fourth wicket by bowling out Mohammad Irfan with the final delivery after twice having lbw dismissals against Wahab overturned.