Pakistan made 260 for six after winning the toss in the first one-day international against England at Southampton on Wednesday.
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Azhar Ali, the Pakistan captain, top-scored with 82 and Sarfraz Ahmed made 55 in this day/night match. Adil Rashid was England’s most successful bowler, the leg-spinner taking two for 51 in his nine overs. Pakistan captain Azhar Ali won the toss and elected to bat against England in the first one-day international at Southampton on Wednesday. England recalled the fit-again Durham duo of all-rounder Ben Stokes and fast bowler Mark Wood. Stokes’s season has been blighted by knee and calf injuries and he is expected to play in this match just as a batsman only.
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Wood has not appeared for England since a Test against Pakistan in Dubai in October following a longstanding ankle problem. But he looked sharp while taking four for 25 in Durham’s Twenty20 semi-final win over Yorkshire at Edgbaston on Saturday. England decided against playing Jonny Bairstow as a batsman only, with regular ODI wicket-keeper Jos Buttler behind the stumps. Pakistan made one change to the side that thrashed Ireland by 255 runs in a one-day international in Malahide last Thursday, with left-arm quick Wahab Riaz replacing Hasan Ali. That match saw Pakistan’s Sharjeel Khan score the third fastest 150 in ODI history. Pakistan opted against recalling leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
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This day/night fixture at south coast county Hampshire’s headquarters ground is the first of a five-match series. Pakistan, now the world’s top-ranked Test side after their recent 2-2 series draw in England, are currently a lowly ninth in the equivalent ODI standings. Pakistan (squad): Azhar Ali (captain), Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket keeper), Sami Aslam, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicket keeper), Sharjeel Khan, Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz and Yasir Shah. England (squad): Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Jos Buttler (wicket keeper), Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood.
