Summary

  • England win by 84 runs, win series 3-1

  • Pak 271 (Malik 51, Azam 51, Moeen 3-53)

  • Eng 355-5 (Buttler 116*, Roy 102, Root 71)

  • Buttler passes 100 from 46 balls (Eng record)

  1. Postpublished at 10:30

    I suspect there will be much more chat about the England party for South Africa throughout the day. I also hope we'll have time for more references to early 90s indie rock, perhaps branching out into a one-hit wonders theme.

    For now, though, we should probably concentrate on the toss.

  2. Postpublished at 10:28

    As for England, that win left them on the verge of an ODI series win in Asia. A "what's going on?" moment.

    And what's going on with the England Test squad? I'm not sure I can remember a touring party be full of so many surprises. No Ian Bell is the big headline, but also the omissions of Liam Plunkett and Adil Rashid.

    On top of that, I'm fairly certain the last person who expected Samit Patel to be included was Samit Patel.

    Jos Buttler and James TaylorImage source, AP
  3. Postpublished at 10:26

    Let's take Pakistan's performance in the third ODI in Sharjah. Instead of 4 Non Blondes, they were 3 Run Outs.

    The question in the dressing room would very much have been "what's going on?"

    Azhar AliImage source, Getty Images
  4. Postpublished at 10:25

    It was 4 Non Blondes who asked "what's going on?" (Yes, I did hear it on the radio this morning.)

    I'm not sure if the California rockers were cricket fans, but their appearance on the day of this final ODI seems fitting.