Can Pakistan bring England's winning streak to a halt

Can Pakistan avoid a clean sweep of the ODI series by England? England look all set to inflict a 4-0 win, which will be an excellent reply for the humiliation they had to endure during the Test series. The way England have bounced back from Pakistan's clean sweep of the Tests is commendable. A victory today in the fourth and final one-day match can give them the momentum going into the upcoming three Twenty20 matches. Today's match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium is not important from the series point of view as England have already won, but the result of this match can have a huge impact on both teams. If Pakistan can win, it will augur well for them in the Twenty20 series and also lift their sinking spirits. If England win, then it will not only be a big boost to their image in instant cricket but they can also move up the world rankings from their current fifth position. It should be noted that England are the No 1-ranked team in Test cricket and also in the Twenty20 format. So this team can aim for the top slot in 50-overs cricket too. England skipper Alastair Cook has brought about a magic transformation of the team by leading from the front through spectacular knocks. To make it harder for Pakistan, England's star batsman Kevin Pietersen has regained his form. Dinner for Pakistan team To lift the spirits of the Pakistan team and also instil confidence in them, Jameel Ahmad Khan, Ambassador of Pakistan to the UAE, hosted a dinner at the Address Hotel on Sunday. Speaking during the function, Khan said: "Remember you have brought laurels to the country by beating England, which is the world's No 1 team. You have been champions of two World Cups before and you can continue to keep winning and not be disheartened by the defeat in the one-day series." Zaka Ashraf, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, and Haroon Lorgat, the International Cricket Council chief executive, also attended the function along with a large number of Pakistan supporters. "Before they left from Pakistan to play this series, I had told every player to give their best and results will follow. We have proved we have the talent to beat the best," Ashraf said. England's players attended a similar reception at the British Embassy hosted by the Consul General of the UK, Guy Warrington. Player injuries Pakistan also received a boost as Younus Khan has recovered from his fever. However, Imran Farhat is doubtful owing to a groin injury. This may pave the way for Shoaib Malek to return. For the England team, there is nothing to lose and everything to gain, including the reputation of having thrashed Pakistan in sub-continental conditions. To strengthen their batting on such wickets, Graham Gooch, who was working with them on a part-time basis, has been made a full-time coach from March 5.