Joe Buttler, Jason Roy steers England to series win over Pakistan

Jos Buttler hit the fastest oneday hundred by an Englishman to guide England to an 84run win over Pakistan in the fourth and final daynight international in Dubai on Friday for a 31 series triumphButtlers 52ball 116 not out his hundred coming off just 46 deliveries coupled with a maiden century by opener Jason Roy lifted England to an imposing 3555 before Pakistan were bowled out for 271 in 404 oversEnglandrsquos Jos Buttler celebrates his century against Pakistan in Dubai yesterday PicAFPThe win gave England their second series win since the World Cup disaster earlier this year where they failed to qualify for the quarterfinals They also beat New Zealand 32 at home but lost to Australia by the same margin Pakistan won the first match of the fourgame series by six wickets while England took the second by 95 runs and the third by six wicketsPakistan needed to improve upon their bestever run chase 327 against Bangladesh in March last year but despite good knocks from Babar Azam 51 off 51 balls Shoaib Malik 34ball 52 and skipper Azhar Ali 44 off 32 balls they fell short Mohammad Hafeez made 37 and Anwar Ali 24 as spinners Moeen Ali 353 Adil Rashid 378 and seamer David Willey 234 took wickets at regular intervals to stop Pakistan from pulling out a serieslevelling win Azam and Hafeez added 65 for the third wicket while Azam added 47 for the fourth with Malik but that was never enough to overhaul a stiff targetEngland skipper Eoin Morgan praised the ruthless Buttler I think we were lost for words in the dressing room to describe that knock said Morgan on Buttlers aggression We are priviliged to work and train with Jos and the ability he shows there today it all came together and that was absolutely incredible I think the best oneday knock I have seen in the England shirt We are delighted at this series winAzhar said Pakistan needed a big innings to overhaul the target I think we were good in chase but needed a big innings which unfortunately did not come said the Pakistan captain We played poor cricket which cost us the series It was Buttler who stole the limelight ahead of RoyButtler smashed mediumpacer Anwar for his eighth six to complete his third oneday century off just 46 balls also the jointseventh fastest oneday hundred to help England score 129 in the final ten overs He improved his own record of a 61ball hundred the previous fastest hundred for England made against Sri Lanka at Lords in May last yearIn all Buttler clobbered eight sixes and ten boundaries to pulverise Pakistans bowling Buttlers batting heroics overshadowed Roys 117ball knock after England who won the toss and batted thrived on a batsmanfriendly pitch Roy added 140 for the second wicket with Joe Root 71 to set an ideal platform for Buttler Roy took a single off legspinner Yasir Shah to complete his three figures off 113 balls but two runs later was caught off the same bowlerRoy whose previous best of 67 came against Australia at Southampton in September hit eight boundaries and a six Root ably supported Roy hitting three boundaries and two sixes during his runaball innings before he was stumped off the bowling of Azhar who finished with 226 Roy and fellow opener Alex Hales laid the platform for England as they took the score to 54 in the 12th over But it was Buttler who lifted the tempo reaching 50 off just 30 balls and taking 22 off Anwars 46th over in a demonstration of clean hitting