No regrets for skipper Eoin Morgan despite England’s failure to secure series whitewash
Skipper Eoin Morgan insisted he had no regrets over team selection as his side missed the chance to whitewash Pakistan after slipping to a four-wicket defeat in the final 50-over tussle of the series at Cardiff.
Pakistan chased down their victory target of 303 inside the 49th over thanks largely to a 163-run stand between Sarfraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik, who struck 90 and 77 respectively.
England had earlier posted 302-9 as opener Jason Roy top scored with 87 and Ben Stokes amassed 75, although their tally was not enough to deny Pakistan a consolation victory.
The hosts chose to rotate their squad and give game-time to players ahead of the winter tours to Bangladesh and India, however debutant Liam Dawson and the recalled Chris Jordan conceded 122 from 15.2 overs.
Left-arm spinner Dawson’s figures of 2-70 from his eight overs were the most expensive ever by an English debutant.
“Absolutely no regrets. It was an opportunity to get him on the international stage in one-day cricket with one eye towards the winter,” said
Morgan. “It was important that if we did call upon him and need three spinners or possibly if someone goes down that he has a game under his belt and feels more at ease and comfortable in the environment.”
Roy was in sparkling form, while Stokes found the boundary with increasing ease as his innings progressed, although England’s batting was stifled by the loss of five wickets for 64 runs as only 42 were added in the final eight overs.
England finished the series as 4-1 winners, with a solitary Twenty20 clash at Old Trafford to come on Wednesday.