Pakistan A take series to a decider

DUBAI: Pakistan A set up a series decider against England Lions with a six-wicket victory in the fourth one-dayer in Dubai on Thursday. They cut off a promising England start to dismiss them for 181 then survived a batting wobble of their own to reach the target with more than three overs to spare as Asif Zakir hit an unbeaten 68.

Pakistan A’s spinners combined effectively after England had made a flying start with an opening stand of 60 in less than 10 overs between James Vince and Dawid Malan. But the next-best stand was 36 between Malan and Liam Dawson as the innings ended with five-and-a-half overs unused.

England hit back through some impressive pace bowling as Craig Overton and Jake Ball removed the openers before Dawson and Tom Westley made further inroads to leave Pakistan A 66 for 4.

But then the bat started to dominate again as Zakir and Zohaib Khan formed the best stand of the match by adding an unbroken 116 to hunt down the target. Zakir hit the one six of the match when he dispatched Dawson having gone to fifty off 78 balls.

It was again a run out that had sparked England’s problems when Vince was found short for the second innings in a row when he chanced a third to fine leg then Westley fell for his second duck of the series. Malan, who missed the third match with illness, continued his fine form with a fluent half-century but when he was fourth out the innings fell away - the last six wickets going for 62.