InMobi

Hales century guides England home

England levelled their four-match ODI series with Pakistan at 1-1 thanks to a big ton from Alex Hales

Alex Hales smashed a maiden hundred and Chris Woakes ended his wicket drought with four victims as England beat Pakistan by 95 runs to win the second one-day international on Friday.

Hales's 109 was the cornerstone of England's challenging 5-283 before Woakes - wicketless in his last six games - took 4-33 to help dismiss Pakistan for 188 in 45.5 overs at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

The victory levelled the four-match series at 1-1 after Pakistan won the first game by six wickets - also in Abu Dhabi - on Wednesday.

Pakistan were out of the hunt after losing half their side for 50 in the 19th over as Woakes, wicketless in his last six matches, ripped through the middle-order.

But it was David Willey who removed opener Babar Azam (four) and first match centurion Mohammad Hafeez (nought) in his first three overs before finishing with 3-25.

Quick Single: Bad start, worse finish for Black Caps

Woakes had debutant Iftikhar Ahmed caught for five, Shoaib Malik (13) caught off a miscued pull and then had skipper Azhar Ali bowled after a laborious 45-ball 22.

Sarfraz, who top-scored with 64, added 30 with Mohammad Rizwan (17) for the sixth wicket and 65 for the seventh wicket with Anwar (23) but it only delayed Pakistan's defeat.

Sarfraz fought a lone battle, hitting three boundaries during his 76-ball knock before falling to Woakes in the 45th over.

England captain Eoin Morgan said his team had learnt from the mistakes of the last game.

"It's an excellent performance," he said. "The important thing is that we learnt from the last game, particularly in batting. Hales and Jason Roy (54) were outstanding and their stand (102 for the first wicket) made a huge impact on our total."

Pakistan skipper Ali praised England.

"I think England played well, we were expecting that from them and although our bowlers did well to restrict them, we didn't bat as per the need," said Ali.

It was Hales's superb knock that set up England's match.

He shared a 102-run partnership for the first wicket with Jason Roy (54) and another 114 for the second with Joe Root (63) as England put up a challenging total.

England got off to a confident start on a pitch used for the second match in a row, as Roy and Hales lifted the tempo after the first ten overs.

Roy smashed two boundaries off paceman Wahab Riaz to bring up his third one-day fifty off 53 balls but four runs later miscued a drive and was caught by Shoaib Malik off Riaz who finished with 3-43.

Hales continued in his aggressive style, improving on his previous best of 67 made against New Zealand at Nottingham earlier this year, clobbering two sixes off leg-spinner Yasir Shah.

He successfully challenged Pakistani umpire Shozab Raza's decision of caught behind off Riaz when 48 and paddle-swept Iftikhar for two to reach the three-figure mark off 111 balls.

He was finally stumped off Iftikhar by Sarfraz Ahmed in the 39th over.

Root added 40 for the third wicket with Eoin Morgan (29) before Riaz returned for his second spell to take out Root's leg stump with a slower one. Root hit three boundaries off 77 balls.

Jos Butler was cleaned up by Riaz for 11 as England managed just 27 runs in the last five overs.

The third match will be played in Sharjah on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh recorded a four-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the first Twenty20 international of a two-match series in Dhaka on Friday.

Malcolm Waller scored a rapid-fire 50 but Bangladesh dismissed Zimbabwe for 131 runs and that score was never enough as the hosts cruised home with 14 balls remaining.

Waller struck a total of 68 off 31 balls as Zimbabwe looked to have recovered from a disastrous start before Bangladesh bowlers hit back to end the visitors' innings in 19.3 overs.

Mashrafe Mortaza and Al-Amin Hossain struck early to help Bangladesh reduce Zimbabwe to 10-3 inside three overs before Sean Williams (15) and Craig Ervine (20) offered some resistance.

Waller joined Ervine after spinner Nasir Hossain bowled Williams to leave Zimbabwe tottering at 38-8.

Waller launched an immediate counter attack to take 17 runs off debutant leg-spinner Jubair Hossain's first over.

He then scored 20 off the next over by Nasir and completed his 50 off just 20 balls, Zimbabwe's quickest in Twenty20 internationals.

Waller, who hit a total of four fours and sixes, was eventually dismissed by Mustafizur Rahman as Liton Das took a catch at deep midwicket.

Mustafizur claimed 2-16 while Mortaza, Al-Amin and Jubair each grabbed two wickets for 20 runs.

The second match of the series will be held at the same venue on November 15.