Sciver and Knight hundreds fire impressive England to victory over Pakistan

Natalie Sciver and Heather Knight both hit maiden one-day international centuries as England got their World Cup campaign back on track with a 107-run Duckworth-Lewis victory over Pakistan.

England, who suffered a shock defeat against India in their tournament opener, bounced back to rack up their World Cup-best 377 for seven as Sciver (137) and captain Knight (106) put on 213 for the third wicket at Grace Road.

Katherine Brunt then took two early wickets as Pakistan reached 107 for three in the 30th over before rain, which had delayed the start of the match by half-an-hour, returned to force a DL result overwhelmingly in the hosts’ favour.

In pursuit of the second-highest total in the tournament’s history – behind Australia’s 412 for three against Denmark 20 years ago – Pakistan were never threatening, despite a career-best 56 not out from opener Ayesha Zafar.

Sciver’s century came from just 76 balls and contained 13 fours, and Knight reached three figures from 105 with a reverse-paddle off Sadia Yousuf for her 11th four to go with two sixes.

They joined forces after Knight lost the toss and England then struggled to 42 for two.

Sarah Taylor missed some full-length swing to be lbw to Kainat Imtiaz, and her fellow opener Tammy Beaumont was caught-behind off the same bowler as Pakistan’s seamers found swing under cloudy skies.

Knight and Sciver soon prospered against spin, however.

The third of four successive fours off slow left-armer Nashra Sandhu took Sciver past her 50, and 84 runs were plundered between the 20th and 30th overs.

The stand had equalled England’s and the tournament record – set 24 years ago against Ireland – when Knight’s attempt to dispatch the returning Asmavia Iqbal (three for 62) saw her instead caught at long-off.

Sciver upped the ante again with three successive sixes in the same over, before aiming another maximum in the next only to hole out at deep midwicket off Sana Mir.

England had two new batsmen in at the start of the last 10 overs. But Danni Wyatt, in her 50th ODI, and Fran Wilson bagged a stand of 59 off 35 balls as the hosts fell just one run short of their all-time ODI record total – against these same opponents, last year.

After her emergence as a potential star of the tournament, Sciver told Sky Sports 2: “I clearly enjoyed it. It was good to get the big one.

“We were just saying it was a good pitch, and we knew the outfield was lightning, so ‘get yourself in and get as many as you can’.”