Kevin Pietersen scored his first one-day international century in more than three years as England took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the four-match series against Pakistan with an emphatic nine-wicket win at Dubai Sport City on Saturday.
Pietersen hit 111 not out off 98 balls, the first time he had passed 50 on England’s tour of the UAE, as Alastair Cook’s side turned the tables on Pakistan who had beaten the tourists 3-0 in the Test series.
Cook fell 20 short of scoring his third consecutive ODI century but put on 170 with Pietersen for the best opening stand by England against Pakistan.
A target of 223 was never in doubt despite Cook falling to a catch behind off Saeed Ajmal.
Eoin Morgan helped Pietersen make his first three-figure score since his knock against India in November 2008, and closed out the match with 76 balls to spare.
Steven Finn and Stuart Broad did the damage with the ball as they both took three wickets after their fine early bursts reduced Pakistan to 4-50.
“This ranks right up there,” Pietersen said. “This Pakistan team is a fantastic cricket team. Our bowlers are phenomenal. Steven Finn – brilliant. Broad, Anderson, Patel – the guys have bowled fantastically well. When you have a team like that, the batsmen only have to do a half-decent job.
“It’s nice to get the hundred. Three-and-a-half years? I didn’t realise it was that long. Only cricketers will understand that even though you’re out of form, I knew I was in good nick. I was really calm.”
Pakistan lost their first series of two matches or more in any format since December 2010.
Since then, they had gone 13 series unbeaten in Tests, one-dayers and Twenty20s.
A composed 50 from Umar Akmal and an entertaining 51 from Shahid Afridi briefly threatened to restore Pakistan’s confidence until Broad and James Anderson removed the threat.
Finn had claimed four wickets in the first two ODIs and Pakistan’s batsmen had trouble playing him again.
The Middlesex quick had Imran Farhat caught behind by wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter for nine while, at the other end, Broad also looked dangerous.
Azhar Ali was out to Broad as Kieswetter claimed another catch. Broad should have picked up Mohammad Hafeez’s wicket too but the opener was reprieved on 17 when Broad’s delivery was deemed a no-ball despite Morgan claiming a catch at point.
But Finn trapped Hafeez leg before for an entertaining 29 and Pakistan were reeling when captain Misbah-Ul-Haq edged to Graeme Swann at slip to give Broad a second wicket.
Umar Akmal and Asad Shafiq fought hard for a 47-run partnership before the latter failed to properly ground his bat and was run out by Cook.
Akmal steadily made his way to a 92-ball 50 while the explosive Afridi hit only his second half-century against England, which included a massive six off Swann.
But Broad ended the pair’s 119-run partnership by claiming a third wicket thanks to an excellent catch by Samit Patel at midwicket as Akmal produced a leading edge. Afridi was to follow shortly after as Anderson knocked over his leg stump.
