Pakistan batsmen have performed exceptionally in the series against England. They have already lost the five-match series 3-0 with one game washed out, but they can take plenty of positives from their effort with the bat. The series is the final serious competition both hosts England and Pakistan having going into the ICC World Cup 2019.
In the fourth ODI, played on Friday, veteran Pakistani batsman Shoaib Malik was dismissed for 41 runs from 26 balls. Despite a fiery inning, one would mostly remember his exit than anything else.
In the 47th over of the first innings in Nottingham, Malik looked to make room on the off side to Mark Wood. As he got his feet in position for the attempted cut, he went too far back in the crease to end up smashing his own stumps. Not just one stump or tip of the bails but all three stumps.
Pakistan finished with 340/7 following a ton by Babar Azam (115), fifties from Fakhar Zaman (57) and Mohammad Hafeez (59) and a cameo by skipper Sarfraz Ahmed (21 off 14). For England, seamer Tom Curran was the wrecker-in-chief as he picked up four wickets. Wood picked up a brace, whereas, Jofra Archer scalped a solitary wicket of Asif Ali.
Earlier, Malik had returned home citing personal reasons and missed the T20I and the first three ODIs.
