England "Gutted" as Pakistan Defeat Leaves Tri-Series Final Hopes Hanging
England are gutted, and their route to the one-day tri-series final now relies on results they do not control. Liam Dawson said: "That changing room is gutted, we're desperate to win." He spoke after defeats to Sri Lanka and Pakistan, reported by The Guardian.
A tri-series is a set of matches between three teams. This one involves England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and runs from 18 to 31 October, with games in Lahore and Rawalpindi. The matches are 50-over one-day internationals, known as ODIs.
To reach the final, England need Pakistan to beat Sri Lanka on Tuesday 27 October. England then play Sri Lanka on Thursday 29 October.
The defeats were heavy in different ways. England failed to defend a total of 429 against Sri Lanka. On Sunday 25 October in Lahore, Pakistan chased 242 to beat England. At 154 for nine, Pakistan were still a long way short. Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf, batting at numbers 10 and 11, then added an unbroken 89 runs. That is the highest tenth-wicket partnership in a successful chase, according to ESPN's live coverage.
Much of the debate centres on Adil Rashid, England's experienced leg-spinner. He has played 165 ODIs and needs 26 more wickets to become England's all-time leading ODI wicket-taker. He missed England's September series win over Sri Lanka through injury. He was then left out for Liam Dawson in the second game of this tri-series, a tactical change the reports described. He was not picked for the last two defeats, even though he was fit and available.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports last week that Rashid's recent performances had "dropped off". That is Hussain's own assessment, not a team statement. Dawson, who is 36, has been England's frontline spinner in the tournament.
For England, the arithmetic is simple to state. Pakistan must win first on Tuesday, and then England must beat Sri Lanka on Thursday. Dawson's words suggest a squad that still believes it can get there.
