|| AFP ||

James Vince hit a maiden one-day international century and Lewis Gregory made 77 as a new-look England beat Pakistan by three wickets at Edgbaston on Tuesday to complete a remarkable 3-0 series clean sweep.

Set a challenging 332 to win, England, who without most of their first-choice players because of a pre-series Covid outbreak within their camp, were faltering at 165-5.

But a stand of 129 between Vince, who made 102, and Gregory turned the tide.

Pakistan paceman Haris Rauf removed both batsmen in quick sucession on his way to 4-65.

But England, to the delight of most of a sun-drenched crowd of 19,500, won with two overs to spare when Brydon Carse, who had earlier taken five wickets, drove Shaheen Shah Afridi for four.

Earlier, Pakistan captain Babar Azam returned to form with a superb ODI best 158 during the tourists' 331-9.

Together with Mohammad Rizwan (74) he shared a partnership of 179 -- the highest for any Pakistan wicket against England in an ODI -- after opener Imam-ul-Haq had made 56.

But from 292-2, Pakistan lost seven wickets for 37 runs.

Fast bowler Carse checked Pakistan's progress with 5-61, his maiden five-wicket haul at this level.

Azam, the world's top-ranked ODI batsman, had been dismissed for nought and 19 by fast bowler Saqib Mahmood, the player of the series, as England enjoyed commanding nine-wicket and 52-run wins at Cardiff and Lord's respectively.

Bold start

Despite being without their World Cup-winning top order, the home side's chase started in bold fashion.

Phil Salt hit 16 off the first over of their reply courtesy of four fours off Afridi including a fine straight drive off the left-armer.

But Hasan Ali dismissed Dawid Malan for a duck for the second match in a row, with both teams unchanged from Lord's.

Salt's dashing 37 ended when Rauf struck first ball to have him caught at midwicket.

Zak Crawley made an attractive 29 including seven fours before he was bowled, aiming across the line, by Rauf.

Pakistan should have dismissed stand-in England captain Ben Stokes for just seven when he hoisted Shadab Khan straight to fine leg only for Ali to drop a routine catch and knock the ball on for four.

Stokes was reprieved again off leg-spinner Khan on 18 when a drive to long-on was dropped by Sohaib Maqsood and deflected over the rope for another four.  

But an elated Khan finally got Stokes for 32, with wictkeeper Rizwan holding a good catch off an edged sweep.

Hampshire captain Vince, so often an England nearly man, batted in typically stylish and brought up a 91-ball hundred when he pulled Ali for four.