Southampton, UK: Jos Buttler’s stunning 50-ball century took England to 373 for three against Pakistan in the second one-day international at Southampton on Saturday.
Buttler’s 110 not out featured nine sixes, including a straight drive off Hasan Ali that took him to three figures.
Such was his command that Buttler’s second fifty took him a mere 18 balls, with new father Buttler making a ‘rocking the baby’ gesture to celebrate bringing up a century that also included four fours.
An extraordinary ‘inside out’ six off Hasan over long-off was arguably the pick of his shots, although a pull off Shaheen Shah Afridi that cleared the rope and took him into the 90s was almost just as impressive.
Together with England captain Eoin Morgan (71 not out) he shared an unbroken partnership of 162.
It was an encouraging display by the World Cup hosts just weeks from the start of the tournament and further proof of their progress as an ODI side.
Saturday’s total was the 35th time since their miserable first-round exit at the 2015 World Cup that England, now top of the ODI rankings, had posted a total in excess of 300.
A Pakistan attack missing the ill Mohammad Amir took a pounding, with Hasan conceding 81 runs from his maximum 10 overs and Afridi 80.
Earlier, Jason Roy (87) and Jonny Bairstow (51) laid a platform for the innings with an opening stand of 115 after Morgan won the toss.
