Woakes’ five-for seals victory for England over Pakistan

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England have defeated Pakistan by 54 runs in the fifth and final one-day international (ODI) of the series to clinch the series 4-0.

Chasing a mammoth target of 352 runs, Pakistan got off to the worst possible start with pacer Chris Woakes wreaking havoc with the ball upfront.  Woakes accounted for the wickets of openers Fakhar Zaman (0) and Abid Ali (5) along with all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez (0), to put Pakistan in all sorts of trouble.

At this stage captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and top-order batsman Babar Azam got together and stitched a brilliant 148-run partnership to put Pakistan’s run chase back on track. But just when Pakistan looked in control of things, Azam was run out trying to take a needless run. He scored 80 runs off 83 balls with the help of nine fours and a six.  

As soon as Azam departed, Pakistan’s innings faltered once again as Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz went back to the hut in quick succession. Malik was dismissed by Rashid, with the latter taking a good catch off his own bowling. While the Pakistan captain, who looked set for a hundred, was dismissed for 97 runs off 80 balls. His innings included seven fours and two sixes.

Asif Ali and Imad Wasim chipped in with contributions of 22 and 25 respectively but that was not enough to take the team over the line.

For England, Woakes was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 5-54 in his full quota of ten overs.  

Earlier all-rounder Imad Wasim and fast-bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi led a Pakistan fightback but England still scored 351 for nine at Headingley as Tom Curran again pressed his case for a World Cup place.

England, in their last ODI before the tournament hosts and favourites name their World Cup squad, were set for a huge score at 191 for two off 25 overs.

But several batsmen got themselves out, including Test skipper Joe Root, who top-scored with 84, and one-day captain Eoin Morgan, who made 76 on his return to the side.

Left-arm spinner Imad finished with fine figures of three for 53 in his maximum 10 overs.

Fast-bowler Afridi took wickets at both ends of the innings in a return of four for 82.

But the last over saw Curran hit six and then ramp an outrageous four off successive Hasan Ali deliveries to take England to a competitive total.

Curran finished on 29 not out — the second match in a row where the Surrey paceman had proved his worth as a lower-order batsman following his 31 in a series-clinching win at Trent Bridge on Friday.

England rested Jason Roy following the opener's century in Nottingham.

But they still scored rapidly after Morgan won the toss.

James Vince hit the first two balls of the innings from Hasan for four.

But Vince, yet again in his England career, got out when well set, falling for 33 when he top-edged a hook off Afridi to deep square leg.

Jonny Bairstow (32) drove Imad straight to long-on to the disappointment of his Yorkshire home crowd.

Morgan, back after missing Friday's match, following a one-game ban for slow over-rate offences, hit several sixes — including a huge one onto the roof of the Old Pavilion Stand off Mohammad Hasnain.

But he too perished to a cross-bat shot, a pull off Afridi caught by Abid Ali, running round from midwicket towards square leg.

It was the end of a partnership with Root worth 117 in 18 overs.

Root was also in sight of a century when he holed out off Hasnain, having faced 73 balls including nine fours.

Imad then took two wickets in three balls to reduce England to 272 for six, dangerman Jos Buttler caught at backward point before Moeen Ali was plumb lbw for a duck.

Ben Stokes, who made a match-winning 71 not out in Nottingham, fell for 21 to Hasan.