Pietersen spurs England

Cricket

Kevin Pietersen hit his first ODI century for more than three years to steer England to a nine-wicket win over Pakistan on Saturday to help them secure an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.

Chasing 223 for victory, England eased home with 12.4 overs to spare after Pietersen (111 not out) and captain Alastair Cook (80) shared an opening partnership of 170.

Cook continued his excellent run with the bat, having made centuries in each of the first two matches in the series.

Pietersen’s last one-day international century came against India in Cuttack in November 2008.  Earlier, Steve Finn took three for 24 and fellow paceman Stuart Broad grabbed three for 42 as Pakistan were bowled out for 222 after winning the toss and deciding to bat.
For Pakistan Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal hit soild half-centuries.

Afridi hit a 55-ball 51 while Umar scored a 92-ball 50 during their 79-run sixth wicket stand which lifted Pakistan from a precarious 97 for five 5 after Misbah-ul Haq won his first toss in the four-match series and chose to bat.

But Pakistan, trailing 2-0 after losing the first two matches in Abu Dhabi, initially failed to improve their fortunes as they lost Azhar Ali (five), Mohammad Hafeez (29) and Misbah (one) in the space of just two runs.

Pakistan were forced to leave out Younis Khan, who was suffering from a fever, for the match.

 score board

PAKISTAN
Hafeez lbw b Finn    29
Farhat c Kieswetter b Finn    9
Ali c Kieswetter b Broad    5
Shafiq (run out)    18
Misbah c Swann b Broad    1
U Akmal c Patel b Broad    50
Afridi b Anderson    51
A Akmal b Finn    9
Gul (not out)    27
Ajmal b Anderson    4
Cheema (run out)    5
Extras: (LB-11, W-2, NB-1)    14
Total (all out, 50 overs)    222
Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-49, 3-49, 4-51, 5-97, 6-176, 7-180, 8-204, 9-209.
Bowling: Anderson 10-0-52-2, Finn 10-1-24-3, Broad 10-2-42-3, Swann 10-0-44-0, Patel 8-1-37-0, Bopara 2-0-12-0.
ENGLAND
Cook c A Akmal b Ajmal    80
Pietersen (not out)    111
Morgan (not out)    24
Extras (LB-3, W-4, NB-4)    11
Total (for 1 wkt, 37.2 overs)    226
Fall of wicket: 1-170.
Bowling: Gul 7-0-59-0, Cheema 6.2-0-40-0, Ajmal 10-1-40-1, Hafeez 6-0-32-0, Afridi 8-0-52-0.