Sloppy England start winter with Pakistan defeat

One-day international tri-series, RawalpindiPakistan 302-9 (50 overs): Baker 3-65; Nawaz 79 (74), Arafat 59 (58)England 215 (38.4 overs): Banton 57 (53), Arafat 6-40Pakistan won by 87 runsScorecardEngland began their wandering winter with a sloppy loss to Pakistan in the one-day tri-series in Rawalpindi.In the opening match of five separate tours to four different countries on three continents, England's mistakes opened the door for Pakistan's Arafat Minhas to take advantage.The all-rounder made a crucial 59 with the bat, then bamboozled England by taking 6-40 with his left-arm spin.Asked to bat, Pakistan were 190-5 in the 37th over when diving wicketkeeper Jordan Cox put down Arafat on 12, one of three catches England dropped.Arafat, alongside a powerful 79 from Hasan Nawaz, lifted Pakistan to 302-9.Faced with making the second-highest score to win an ODI at the Rawalpindi Stadium, England made a rapid start to the chase, only for further errors to let Pakistan back in.At 91-0, Ben Duckett top-edged a pull to depart for 45 and, crucially, Tom Banton was caught for 57 when he shovelled Arafat's long hop to mid-wicket.Arafat's fine all-round performance continued with a beautiful delivery to bowl England captain Harry Brook for five and Naseem Shah got one to keep low to bowl Joe Root for 33.When Cox was lbw and Jamie Overton holed out, both off Arafat, England were flawed. They spluttered to 215 all out, losing their last seven wickets for 50 runs, capped by a calamitous run out of Gus Atkinson.Pakistan have two wins from two in the tri-series and are already on the brink of the final, while England next meet Sri Lanka at the same ground on Thursday, with both sides looking for their first victory.Not only is this the beginning of England's winter – two trips to Australia and Test tours of South Africa and Bangladesh follow – but also the start of a long run-in to the 50-over World Cup in southern Africa next year.This was the first of a potential 21 ODIs in preparation for the World Cup, the tri-series format designed to replicate the pressure and permutations of tournament cricket.In fairness to England, they have improved in ODI cricket - winning their three previous series this year - and they were without three first-choice players in Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Jacob Bethell.Nevertheless, this was a game they could have won had they not wasted their opportunities, while squad players missed chances to press their case. Cox dropped two catches behind the stumps, Sonny Baker was expensive with the new ball and Banton squandered the platform to make a huge score at the top of the order.The outcome was a defeat in their first ODI in Pakistan since 2005 and a loss in their first taste of tri-series ODI cricket since 2015.To focus on England's shortcomings would be a disservice to Pakistan, who are a vastly different proposition in this format on home soil to the team soundly beaten in the Test series in the UK last month.From 133-5 in the 28th over, the hosts could have wilted, yet Nawaz's slog-sweep for six from the first ball he faced from Adil Rashid was the beginning of Pakistan's fightback.Along with Arafat and Faheem Ashraf, Nawaz carried Pakistan to what seemed no more than a competitive total on a flat pitch.When night fell, Arafat produced his magical spell to the delight of a noisy full house.He produced the best figures by a Pakistan spinner in an ODI against England, then Arafat also ran out Atkinson to complete the hosts' win.This was a good test for England's batting, not unlike the kind of chase they can expect to face at the World Cup, albeit in different conditions.Much like when they were tasked with overhauling 325 to beat Sri Lanka at Headingley in an ODI less than a month ago, they fell short.Banton made a century in that series but knows the injured Bethell will be back for the tour of Australia next month. Another hundred would have made the selection decision difficult, explaining Banton's obvious disappointment when he somehow belted Arafat to Shaheen Afridi.Cox will have a run in the ODI side because Buttler is out until at least the new year and the Essex man will also have an eye on securing a place in the Test team in South Africa.At number six, Cox had the opportunity to make amends for his two drops, yet he was deceived by the wily Arafat to be lbw for 18.In between, England lost their biggest wickets. Brook was all at sea in missing a beautiful turning delivery from Arafat, Root was arguably unlucky to be bowled by Naseem and Sam Curran, playing for the first time since The Hundred, shovelled to deep square leg.When Curran departed for 27, England were 177-5 midway through the 32nd over and the game was beginning to slip away.What followed was Arafat singled-handedly ripping through the lower order.Cox was done in the flight to be leg before, Overton was caught at long-on and Will Jacks, so often England's saviour in white-ball cricket, found the hands of mid-wicket.Rashid was palpably leg before and the mix-up between Baker and Atkinson that resulted in the latter face down on the turf epitomised England's collapse.It was another chapter in England's long history of capitulating to spin on the sub-continent.