England amassed a world record one-day international cricket total of 444 for 3 as they crushed Pakistan by 169 runs at Trent Bridge to take an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
English batsman Alex Hales. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Jos Buttler struck the last ball of the innings for four to take Eoin Morgan's men past Sri Lanka's previous record of 443 for 9 against Netherlands in July 2006.
Alex Hales plundered 171, the highest individual limited-overs score by an England batsman, before Buttler reached his fifty off 22 deliveries, another record for his country.
The hosts passed their previous highest total of 408 for 9, made against New Zealand last year, while captain Morgan got to his half-century off 24 deliveries as he and Buttler shared an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 161.
"Quite a monumental knock from Alex Hales," said Morgan.
"To score 171 in any form of the game is remarkable and our innings was based around that.
"Records are hugely important, it emphasises we're not just a chasing side. We probably have 17 or 18 players who have played in the last year and a half and could come into this side."
Hales flayed four sixes and 22 fours in his 122-ball knock to surpass Robin Smith's 167 not out against Australia in Birmingham in 1993.
Caught off a no-ball on 72 and dropped on 114, the 27-year-old right-hander passed Smith's score by pulling Hasan Ali to the mid-wicket boundary.
The bowler trapped him lbw with the next delivery to end a second-wicket stand of 248 with Joe Root, who fell soon after for 85, but the pain was far from over for the Pakistan bowlers.
Buttler hammered six sixes and three fours to get to his half-century and finished 90 not out off 51 balls while Morgan ended unbeaten on 57.
Hales and Root's partnership was also England's third-highest in one-day internationals.
Pakistan, in reply, were bowled out for 275 in 42.4 overs with paceman Chris Woakes the chief destroyer, taking 4-41.
Opener Sharjeel Khan hit 58 but wickets fell at regular intervals until Mohammad Amir smashed 58 in 28 balls to share an unlikely last-wicket stand of 76 with Yasir Shah (26 not out).
Amir's half-century was the first by a number 11 in ODIs.
-AAP
