Wednesday, September 6 2006 12:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Southampton: Younis Khan's 101 is the centrepiece of Pakistan's two-wicket win over England in the day/night third one-day international at the Rose Bowl here Tuesday (5 Sep, 2006).

Pakistan, cruising to victory at 215 for four, does suffer a late collapse that sees them lose three wickets for nine runs as they decline to 265 for eight, with fast bowler Stuart Broad striking twice in two balls.

Victory sees Pakistan go 2-0 up and means they cannot lose the five-match series heading into Friday's (1 Sep, 2006) fourth fixture at Trent Bridge.

"It's a good achievement for us especially under pressure but we're used to these conditions now," Younis tells Sky Sports.

"It was a big hundred because against England it's a dream come true." "But all the time I bat for my team, not for myself, and that's why a lot of the time I'm out for 70 or 80. This time it's nice to get that hundred," he adds.

This defeat is England's ninth in nine completed limited overs fixtures this season and means they have won just four of their last 24 fixtures in shorter forms of cricket.

Set 272 to win, Pakistan finishes on 274 for eight after a third-wicket stand of 167 in 31 overs between Younis and Mohammad Yousuf (60) sees the duo defy the conventional wisdom by successfully batting second under the lights after skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq has won the toss.

Inzamam is 44 not out and Shoaib Akhtar two not out as the tourists win with seven balls to spare when the captain pulled Rikki Clarke for four.

But England captain Andrew Strauss takes heart from England's improved showing. "I think we showed a lot more positivity with the bat which was important." "More than anything we showed a lot of fight in the whole game, and if we keep doing that we'll turn things around sooner rather than later." "We put the ball in the right areas but were a bit unlucky in the middle. All credit to Pakistan, people keep getting hundreds and Younis Khan did that very well today."

Broad gives Pakistan a scare by taking two wickets in two balls in the 47th over to get rid of Abdul Razzaq (16), caught and Kamran Akmal, held at point by Paul Collingwood before Rana Naved is bowled by seamer Jon Lewis for seven.

Earlier, paceman Naved takes four wickets for 57 runs in England's 271 for nine.

Lewis, who had figures of two for 11 in Pakistan's seven-wicket win at Lord's on Saturday (2 Sep, 2006) struck with his sixth ball when Shoaib Malik edges him to Collingwood at backward point.

And when Mohammad Hafeez is run out by England captain Andrew Strauss's direct hit from cover, Pakistan is 29 for two.

But, as happened in the recent Test series against England, Younis and Yousuf take charge after the openers have faltered.

Younis plays some superb shots. He goes down the pitch and square cut Broad for four before pulling the 20-year-old quick to the boundary. He then lashes Sajid Mahmood through point.

Lewis too comes in for the Younis treatment, umpire Billy Doctrove forces to take evasive action as he struck another powerful blow down the ground.

But Younis, on 38, escapes when the onrushing Broad at deep square drops a pull off Mahmood low down leg with Pakistan then 80 for two.

Yousuf, who on 22 called for a runner with what appeared to be cramp, then struck a scorching cover-drive off Mahmood for four.

He later completes an 84-ball fifty with four fours before Younis's single off Mahmood takes him to a 105-ball hundred with one six and 13 fours.

Surprisingly, it is only his second one-day international century and first against a Test nation after his 144 against Hong Kong at Colombo in 2004.

But then Younis holed out to Trescothick at long on off Broad after his stand with Yousuf had left Pakistan on 196 for three in the 37th over.

Earlier all-rounders Dalrymple and Collingwood give England hope with a fifth-wicket stand of 101.

Dalrymple make 62 and Collingwood 61, although neither batsman dominate the Pakistan attack.

A second-wicket stand of 79 between Strauss (50) and Ian Bell (42) saw England recover from losing Trescothick, yorked first ball of the innings, by Akhtar.