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Live Cricket Score, Pakistan Vs England, 3rd ODI 2016

Hello and Welcome to CricketCountry’s live cricket score updates of the third One-Day International (ODI) between Pakistan and England at Nottingham.

Hello and Welcome to CricketCountry’s coverage of the third One-Day International (ODI) between Pakistan and England at Nottingham. We at CricketCountry will bring all the live updates of this thriller of a contest, as England look to seal the series 3-0. Pakistan, on the other, will leave no stone unturned to get the better of England to stay alive in the five-match series. Not that they have been ordinary in the previous contests, they simply need to play well as a cohesive unit. To be precise, it is their bowling unit that failed to provide the much needed impetus and put the rampaging English batting on the back foot. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Pakistan vs England 2016, 3rd ODI at Trent Bridge

All-rounder Ben Stokes has been in and out of the team due to injuries. Ahead of this contest, the 25-year-old said, “The plan from the start was to be fit and ready to bowl by the third ODI and by the way things are going it is looking likely I will be an option for Eoin in Nottingham if needed. I have done all the prep to get myself fit and put my hand up to say I am ready to bowl. I’ve bowled for about 15 minutes flat out and all the build-up stuff I needed to do has been done, so if I am needed hopefully Eoin will ask.”

The job of an all-rounder is tougher than a specialist batsman or a bowler. He, in fact, has to bowl, bat and field for at least 40 overs. Indeed it is tough. “It’s so boring. Honestly, it makes the fielding innings seem a lot longer because if you bowl 10 overs it kind of takes 20 overs out of the game for you. But I pride myself on my fielding as well and one thing that keeps me switched on the whole time is that I don’t want to give away any runs,” he added.

Given the kind of team Pakistan boast, whitewashing them is an uphill climb. “We could spill into dangerous territory if we start to think too far ahead. We have gone 2-0 up in the series because we have been playing the better cricket. If we were to think we have won it already and slip up on what we have been doing that could be the worst thing we could do. We haven’t won the series yet so. We’ve got the next one to do that, so we’ll still be trying to improve on these performances,” he concluded. Also read – Stokes: Ready to bowl vs PAK in 3rd ODI at Trent Bridge

All in all, England look all set to seal the series at Nottingham, as they cover all bases. Be it top order or lower middle-order, all batsmen seem to be in good touch.

Opener Jason Roy, especially in the first contest, fired on all cylinders and scored 65 off just 56 balls, including six fours and one six. As a matter of fact, he has played a key role at the top order, along with Joe Root. And his innings in the semi-finals of ICC World T20 2016 was evidence to the fact.

If not him, it is Root to rises to the occasion and takes his team over the line. His 89 off 108 balls in the last match ensured England 4-wicket win. Given the form he is in, a three-figure is due from him.

With captain Eoin Morgan and Stokes in the middle order, England’s batting looks even stronger.

In addition, English bowling unit has been at his lethal best. Mark Wood, especially, has been in the forefront of providing breakthroughs. His figures of 3 for 46 at Lord’s must have done world of good to his confidence. Plus, with spin duo of Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid at England’s disposal, beating them on their own soil will be an uphill climb for the visitors.

“I said to the players this morning that nobody’s safe. And if you’re over 30 you’ve got to be coming to the table more often than not, otherwise it’s an opportunity to blood some younger players. I’m telling no secrets, nobody is 100% safe in the ODI side and the guys know that. Everybody knows they’re on notice,” Pakistan Coach Mickey Arthur said. Also read – Akram unhappy with PAK’s mentality in ODIs vs ENG

He further added, “I have actually started, the other night, going through potential players in Pakistan who can fulfil roles we think we’re going to need to evolve. In the meantime, the 15 players we’ve got here, we’ve got to back, [and] give them the opportunity to stake their claim to be part of the Pakistan ODI squad going forward. We’re going to build a team we think can compete in a year or two’s time. The invitation is there to every player: step up or we’ll find somebody else who can step up, it’s as simple as that.”

For a class-apart team such as Pakistan, placed at No. 9 in the ICC ODI Rankings has become a matter of concern. “Of course it’s a concern, Pakistan cricket should never be down at No. 9 in the world. We need complete buy-in from the players, we have got to give them a lot of confidence and allow them to grow in the roles we’ve given them,” he concluded.

However, for that to happen, Pakistan will have to play out of their skins to go up the rankings.

Sarfraz Ahmed scored his second ODI hundred, taking Pakistan past 250 in the last match. The scorecard read 2 for 3 when he came in to bat. The onus was then the wicketkeeper-batsman to step and put his team in a commanding position. His remarkable efforts vent in vain, as Pakistan lost second match on the trot.

All the same, Pakistan are known for pulling off the unlikely. Even if they make a comeback and win the series from here, it wouldn’t come as a surprise.

Squad:

Pakistan: Sami Aslam, Mohammad Irfan, Umar Gul, Babar Azam, Azhar Ali (c), Hasan Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Mohammad Rizwan, Imad Wasim, Yasir Shah, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Sharjeel Khan, Shoaib Malik.

England: Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Eoin Morgan (c), Joe Root, Jos Buttler (wk), Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Liam Dawson, Chris Jordan, Ben Stokes, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, David Willey, Mark Wood.

FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Pakistan vs England 2016, 3rd ODI at Trent Bridge

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