Kevin Pietersen compares Eoin Morgan’s England with Ricky Ponting’s Australia

After the rather disappointing campaign in the 2015 World Cup, England have turned out to be a rather brute force in the ODI format. The Three Lions currently hold the number one rank among ODI teams and being the hosts they are one of the favourites to win the upcoming World Cup, scheduled to start on May 30, in England and Wales.

Prior to the mega event, the Brits are taking part in a five-match ODI series against Pakistan that they are leading 2-0 with two matches left. Though their bowling has been a tad on the indifferent side, the batting has looked dangerous than ever before. Yesterday, the team, captained by Eoin Morgan, beat Pakistan by six wickets at the County Ground in Bristol.

England detonates Pakistan in Bristol

Their decision to field first backfired on them as the visitors mustered 358 runs courtesy of a 131-ball 151 off Imam-ul-Haq’s blade. However, Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow came out all guns blazing and put on 159 for the opening wicket in a mere 105 balls. Roy got out to Faheem Ashraf after scoring 76, but Bairstow carried on and racked up a century.

The opener ended on 128 runs off 93 balls with 15 fours and five over-boundaries. The knock took the sting out of the Pakistan bowling attack. England chased the target down with 31 balls to spare. Following that, former English cricketer Kevin Pietersen has compared the current English team with Ricky Ponting’s Australia, who won the 2003 and 2007 World Cups.

He drew Roy and Bairstow’s comparison with the likes of Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting. Pietersen also went on to relate Jos Buttler with the legendary Adam Gilchrist. Buttler scored a thunderous 55-ball 110 in the second ODI at the Rose Bowl in Southampton and helped his team take a 1-0 lead.

Pietersen took to Twitter and wrote, “This England ODI side is like that great Aussie side…if Hayden didn’t get you, then Ponting would & if they missed out, Gilchrist would. This England team, the same, Roy, Bairstow, Buttler etc… SOOOOO good!”

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