Sarfraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik sparkled with a delightful half of-centuries as Pakistan ended their barren run of form in a single-Day Internationals with a consolation but dearly-sought victory over England within the 5th and very last ODI at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Sunday (September four). The duo brought 163 for the fourth wicket to place Pakistan firmly in control in their chase of 303. there was the normal Pakistan wobble early and overdue within the innings however Mohammad Rizwan held his nerves to take the visitors to a four-wicket win, one which became accomplished with 10 balls to spare. It took a while to come but Pakistan's solitary win of the series positioned paid to England's hopes of completing a sequence sweep in a five-suit collection for the first time since 2001. England had their probabilities in spite of posting what seemed like a barely sub-par general on another batting beauty. in spite of a much-improved bowling performance from the traffic, they were capable of push past the 300-run mark and then switch the pressure again at the fighters thru Mark timber's double strike early. They had been handiest thwarted via a stand, which as cricketing cliches go, changed into a lovely concoction of the regular and the flamboyant. The flamboyance got here from the in-shape Sarfraz, who walked in at a as a substitute precarious seventy seven for 3 inside the 14th over with quickly after Babar Azam and Azhar Ali had fallen in brief succession after a fifty four-run stand. The twinkle-toed wicket-keeper turned into at it right away, turning the strike round and typically staying busy - a excellent that allowed his associate Malik to feel his manner into the side. The hosts, who exceeded left-arm spinner Liam Dawson a debut as certainly one of 3 modifications to the aspect for the dead rubber, were not able to preserve rein the runs with spin like their opponents had achieved earlier within the day. Dawson faced a tough initiation with Sarfraz looking to dominate him from the outset. the 2 Pakistan batsmen, both excellent gamers of spin, routinely stepped out to the spinner to hit him in opposition to the spin via mid-wicket. as the partnership swelled beyond 50, the medium pacers' effect on lawsuits were in addition nullified. After a 163-run stand, one after which both batsmen regarded set for hundreds of years off their personal, Pakistan continued an compulsory stoop to provide their warring parties a sniff returned into the competition. each Sarfraz and Malik fell to Dawson in the spinner's 2d spell after the equation had reduced to a instead relaxed 63 off seventy five. Mohammad Nawaz's run-out turned a few smiles upside down at the Pakistan balcony but Rizwan's unbeaten 34, within the employer of an similarly assured Imad Wasim, took Pakistan domestic with out further jitters. In greater methods than one, the victory became setup in large part with the aid of the seven wickets that Hasan Ali and Mohammad Amir took among themselves after Azhar Ali opted to discipline. Pakistan's attack definitely had a extra rounded experience to it because of the return of Amir and stale-spinner Malik. That they nevertheless ended up conceding over 302 spoke volumes of the floor on provide and England's batting restrained-overs batting might. At two exclusive stages in the first innings, the hosts seemed primed for a total in extra of 350. First, when Stokes and Roy brought 72 for the 0.33 wicket and alternatively while Bairstow and Stokes placed on a quick-hearth 55 for the fourth. the muse for all of it changed into laid via a commonly stable start. Alex Hales commenced in usual Hales style, feasting on little indiscretions in bowling traces to assist himself to barriers. After conceding 3 limitations, Amir switched to bowling from around the wicket and lured Hales right into a false shot with a cleverly-disguised slower transport. A tame push to mid-on ended a sprightly 37-run opening stand. at the same time as England's scoring price hovered across the six run in keeping with over mark, the lack of Joe Root and Eoin Morgan within the fifteenth over gave the visitors wish of restricting the hosts to a sub-par total. Root played on to a full-period Hasan Ali transport even as Morgan fell caught and bowled to Imad Wasim not too lengthy after, forcing Roy and Stokes to enter a short period of rebuilding. The duo performed themselves in against Pakistan's spinners before Roy, who finished his fifth ODI ton, located a liking to Malik's off spinners. happy to even expose all three stumps, the belligerent opener bludgeoned sixes that thudded into the sightscreen behind the bowler's arm. Stokes had his nervy moments to start out, while Sarfraz failed to collect the ball and impact what become, a recurring stumping risk. Stokes was on 1 whilst he neglected that Imad Wasim jaffa. He could pass on to add 74 greater. Roy, then again, regarded set to get to every other hundred before Amir cut quick his live, 13 quick of 100, with a surprise slower ball bouncer that the batsman miscued with an tried pull. In new guy Jonny Bairstow's organisation, Stokes turned and aggressor and Pakistan braced themselves for the inevitable final-overs onslaught. The stand, but, become reduce in its top while an attempted ramp short from Bairstow went simplest as some distance because the backward point fielder. Stokes' 76-ball attempt, weighted down with 3 sixes, then fell to Hasan Ali after a failed try at a scoop. At 258 for 6 with over 50 balls to play, with debutant Liam Dawson and the tail to observe, England have been in chance of getting bowled out underneath 300. A well timed six inside the final over from Chris Jordan pushed them past that psychological barrier. but on the day, it wasn't pretty sufficient to disclaim a determined Pakistan victory. short ratings: England 302/9 in 50 overs (Jason Roy 87, Ben Stokes seventy five; Hasan Ali 4-60, Mohammad Amir three-50) lost to Pakistan 304/6 in 48.2 overs (Sarfraz Ahmed 90, Shoaib Malik 77; Mark wood 2-fifty six) by 4 wickets.