Pakistan have an almighty task on their hands if they are to avoid a 3-1 one-day international series defeat to England after the tourists set them a huge victory target of 356 in the fourth and final match in Dubai.
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After winning the toss and deciding to bat, the tourists started well through openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales before Jos Buttler hit the fastest ODI century by an Englishman off just 46 balls as England posted their highest ever overseas ODI score.
Hales was the first man to go for 22 by chipping a Mohammad Irfan delivery to Shoaib Malik in the 12th over. That brought Joe Root to the crease and he scored a run-a-ball 71 while building a 140-run second-wicket partnership with Roy.
In 13 previous ODI innings, Roy had never reached three figures, but broke that duck today before falling for 102 shortly after in the 36th over.
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England captain Eoin Morgan bumped Buttler up the order to come in at number four and although Root fell in the next over, Buttler took on the scoring mantle and played an array of shots on his way to an unbeaten 116 off just 52 balls.
Morgan (14) and James Taylor (13) scored quickly before losing their wickets, but Buttler was able to retain the strike for the bulk of the final 10 overs as he posted the joint-seventh fastest ODI hundred ever.
Buttler also now holds the three fastest ODI centuries by an Englishman, but today's was far quicker than his two previous best that came in 61 and 66 balls.
Pascal Lemesre
