Pakistan v England, 2011-12

At Abu Dhabi, February 13, 2012 (day/night). England won by 130 runs. Toss: England.

With their 5-0 one-day whitewash in India in October fresh in the memory, and still stunned by their 3-0 Test defeat here, England entered this series more in hope than expectation. But a career-best 137 from Cook, his third one-day international hundred, set up a victory which instilled the self-belief so far lacking on the tour. Keen to make up for a middling personal return in India, where whispers about his unsuitability for the dual role of captain and opener had resurfaced following a superb summer, Cook displayed aggression and an array of strokes most of his critics had thought beyond him. In all, he faced 142 balls, adding 131 for the third wicket with Bopara. England's 260 for seven proved more than enough to defeat Pakistan, who never recovered from Finn's hostile and penetrative opening spell of four for 20. Only a typically frenetic 22-ball 28 from Shahid Afridi interrupted the procession.

Man of the Match: A. N. Cook.