Alastair Cook hit a second successive hundred to steer England
Captain Cook led the way once again with another centurya 20-run victory over Pakistan on the second day and night international on Wednesday, giving his team a 2-0 lead in the four-match series.
England put a challenge 250-4 102 powered by Cook before he rolled well to restrict Pakistan to 230 in 49 overs in Abu Dhabi Stadium.
Misbah-ul Haq could not match his counterpart during his 59-ball 47 as Pakistan lost track after being well set at 179-4, needing 72 in the last 11.1 overs.
Steven Finn, who took four wickets in the first leg, finished with identical figures of 4-34 to anchor the victory of England.
Pakistan had a good start with Mohammad Hafeez (26) and Imran Farhat (47) 61 by notching another 16 before Hafeez was caught at mid-wicket off James Anderson. Farhat, who hit five boundaries, added 31 for the second wicket with Azhar Ali (31) before Samit Patel took two wickets within 12 runs, removing and Ali Khan Younis (five).
Farhat fell to a silly run out, leaving Misbah and Umar Akmal (21) to add 37 for the fifth wicket before Patel made a diving catch at cover to send intelligent Umar back with 72 still needed off 11.1 overs.
Shahid Afridi briefly threatened England with a run-a-ball 18, but his wicket and Craig Kieswetter sky high catch to dismiss Misbah decided the question for England.
At the beginning of Cook scored his fourth hundred - the first England captain and batters of the ninth for his country to achieve back-to-back in a hundred dayers - to continue the good work after his career-best 137 in victory Monday in the series opener.
The 27-year-old lefty put 67 for the opening wicket with Kevin Pietersen (26) after England won their second successive launch and struck. He also added 49 with Jonathan Trott (23) for the second and 78 for third, with Ravi Bopara who made an attractive 58. Cook was again at his fluent best, hitting 10 boundaries off 121 balls before he gave a return catch to leg-spinner Shahid Afridi in 42 more. He hit paceman Umar Gul for two boundaries to reach 99 and then took a single Abdul Rehman to reach the milestone of three digits, as he carried the batting right from the start.
England, which has remained unchanged since the first game, also due to its evolution to a catch dropped to part-time wicket-keeper Umar Akmal to cook out on 28 off Afridi, a laspe expensive for Pakistan.
Ajmal, who finished with 1-54, once again, since the discovery when he trapped Pietersen leg before in another 16.
Paceman Cheema Trott was caught behind before Cook and Bopara followed his 131-run stand in the first game with another strong partnership.
Bopara, who hit four boundaries during his 66-ball knock, gave the finishing touch to the entries with a 56-run stand for the fourth wicket with Eoin Morgan, whose 25 was not a six.
The third and fourth games will be played in Dubai on Saturday and Tuesday.
Captain Cook led the way once again with another centurya 20-run victory over Pakistan on the second day and night international on Wednesday, giving his team a 2-0 lead in the four-match series.
England put a challenge 250-4 102 powered by Cook before he rolled well to restrict Pakistan to 230 in 49 overs in Abu Dhabi Stadium.
Misbah-ul Haq could not match his counterpart during his 59-ball 47 as Pakistan lost track after being well set at 179-4, needing 72 in the last 11.1 overs.
Steven Finn, who took four wickets in the first leg, finished with identical figures of 4-34 to anchor the victory of England.
Pakistan had a good start with Mohammad Hafeez (26) and Imran Farhat (47) 61 by notching another 16 before Hafeez was caught at mid-wicket off James Anderson. Farhat, who hit five boundaries, added 31 for the second wicket with Azhar Ali (31) before Samit Patel took two wickets within 12 runs, removing and Ali Khan Younis (five).
Farhat fell to a silly run out, leaving Misbah and Umar Akmal (21) to add 37 for the fifth wicket before Patel made a diving catch at cover to send intelligent Umar back with 72 still needed off 11.1 overs.
Shahid Afridi briefly threatened England with a run-a-ball 18, but his wicket and Craig Kieswetter sky high catch to dismiss Misbah decided the question for England.
At the beginning of Cook scored his fourth hundred - the first England captain and batters of the ninth for his country to achieve back-to-back in a hundred dayers - to continue the good work after his career-best 137 in victory Monday in the series opener.
The 27-year-old lefty put 67 for the opening wicket with Kevin Pietersen (26) after England won their second successive launch and struck. He also added 49 with Jonathan Trott (23) for the second and 78 for third, with Ravi Bopara who made an attractive 58. Cook was again at his fluent best, hitting 10 boundaries off 121 balls before he gave a return catch to leg-spinner Shahid Afridi in 42 more. He hit paceman Umar Gul for two boundaries to reach 99 and then took a single Abdul Rehman to reach the milestone of three digits, as he carried the batting right from the start.
England, which has remained unchanged since the first game, also due to its evolution to a catch dropped to part-time wicket-keeper Umar Akmal to cook out on 28 off Afridi, a laspe expensive for Pakistan.
Ajmal, who finished with 1-54, once again, since the discovery when he trapped Pietersen leg before in another 16.
Paceman Cheema Trott was caught behind before Cook and Bopara followed his 131-run stand in the first game with another strong partnership.
Bopara, who hit four boundaries during his 66-ball knock, gave the finishing touch to the entries with a 56-run stand for the fourth wicket with Eoin Morgan, whose 25 was not a six.
The third and fourth games will be played in Dubai on Saturday and Tuesday.
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