Vince hits maiden ODI ton as England sweep Pakistan series

BIRMINGHAM: James Vince hit a maiden one-day international century and Lewis Gregory made 77 as England beat Pakistan by three wickets at Edgbaston on Tuesday to complete a 3-0 series clean sweep.

Set a challenging 332 to win, England, who without most of their first-choice players because of a pre-series Covid outbreak within their camp, were faltering at 165-5. But a stand of 129 between Vince, who made 102, and Gregory turned the tide. England won with two overs to spare when Brydon Carse, who had earlier taken five wickets, drove Shaheen Shah Afridi for four.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam top-scored with an ODI best 158 during the tourists´ 331-9. Together with Mohammad Rizwan (74) he shared a third-wicket stand of 179 -- the highest for any Pakistan wicket against England in an ODI. But from 292-2, Pakistan lost seven wickets for 37 runs. Fast bowler Carse checked Pakistan´s progress with 5-61, his maiden five-wicket haul at this level.