(CNN) -- An inspired Pakistan beat England by 38 runs in a one-day international at Lord's Monday overshadowed by an increasingly bitter row over match fixing claims.
It leveled the series at 2-2, heading into Wednesday's fifth and now deciding match at the Rosebowl, but England were close to boycotting the match.
They were angered by claims by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt that they had received "enormous sums of money" to deliberately lose the preceding third one-day international at The Oval last week.
England captain Andrew Strauss expressed their "outrage and dismay" in an official statement released shortly before Monday's match and revealed that his side had "strong misgivings" about taking to the field.
Top-order batsman Jonathan Trott was also involved in a pre-match altercation with Pakistan's Wahab Riaz as they argued in the nets as relations between the two sides reached a low.
But with a large crowd expected at the home of cricket, Strauss and his men relented and initially looked set for victory to clinch the series.
Pakistan were struggling on 155 for five, with off-spinner Graeme Swann taking four of the wickets to fall.
CNN
