In a thrilling one-day international tri-series match in Rawalpindi, Gus Atkinson made an impressive start for England, claiming a wicket with the very first ball of the innings. However, his subsequent drop of Hasan Nawaz proved costly, allowing Pakistan to recover and set a formidable target.

Fakhar Zaman's dismissal to short midwicket echoed Pakistan's struggles from their recent Test series against England, where several players faced golden ducks. After a shaky start, Pakistan found stability, reaching 133 for five. Atkinson's misjudgment on a catch allowed Nawaz to capitalize, scoring a brisk 79 off 74 balls with four sixes and five fours, laying the groundwork for a late-order surge.

Key contributions followed from Arafat Minhas (59 off 58) and Faheem Ashraf (39 off 26), as Pakistan finished strong at 302 for nine. England's bowlers had mixed fortunes; Adil Rashid and Sam Curran made successful comebacks from injuries, while Sonny Baker stood out with three wickets for 65 runs.

Will Jacks shone as an off-spinning all-rounder, dismissing Pakistan's star batter Babar Azam for 34, while Jamie Overton's pace and precision earned him a wicket with a superb yorker to Nawaz. Despite the hiccups, England's bowlers managed to contain Pakistan's scoring effectively after the powerplay.