Pakistan v England: Who impressed for tourists in 2012 ODI series?

England are preparing for their ODIs against Pakistan off the back of a disappointing defeat in the Test series.

Sound familiar? That's because it is... In 2012, though, England turned around their fortunes to triumph 4-0 in the ODIs. Can they do the same this time?

If they are to win the five-match series - starting on Wednesday at 10.30am, exclusively live on Sky Sports 2 - England will have to do so with a few key men from that 2012 series missing.

Here's who shone back in 2012…

FIRST ODI

Alastair Cook scored his third ODI century, and what would ultimately be his best-ever score of 137 - the first of three tons in six ODIs during a particularly fruitful period with the bat - in a clinical 130-run win in Abu Dhabi. Ravi Bopara hit 50 as the two Essex boys bossed England's innings, although Saeed Ajmal chipped in with 5-43, including the eventual wickets of the two county team-mates.

England ultimately posted a modest 260-7 from their fifty overs, with only 64 runs coming from the final 10, but an impeccable opening burst from Steven Finn, taking 4-20 in a six-over spell, put the result beyond doubt. Pakistan never recovered, crumbling to 130 all out inside 25 overs, with Samit Patel adding 3-26.

SECOND ODI

As you were... Cook scores a hundred, Bopara hits fifty, and Finn takes four-for. Only Patel let the side down by taking one fewer scalp than the first ODI, finishing with 2-51. To be fair, the result was much closer than the first ODI, too, with Pakistan only slipping to a 20-run defeat this time in Abu Dhabi.

Cook cracked 10 fours in his 121-ball 102 and was well-supported once again by Bopara (58 off 66) as England tallied 250-4 from their fifty overs. Pakistan were nicely placed at 179-4 with just over 11 overs remaining and Umar Akmal and the ever-dangerous Shahid Afridi still at the crease. But Finn's four wickets, coming at the back-end of the innings this time - the first being the crucial wicket of Akmal - set England on their way to insurmountable 2-0 series lead.

THIRD ODI

Never one to like sharing the limelight, Kevin Pietersen stepped up to out-do his captain and score a century in the third ODI. Pietersen hit 111 off 98 balls when opening the batting with Cook - who continued his own fine form with 80 - as England comfortably chased down Pakistan's 223-run target in Dubai.

Finn, too, shared the wealth among his fellow seamers, although still led the way with figures of 3-24, while Stuart Broad took 3-42 and James Anderson 2-50 to dismiss Pakistan for 222. It could have been even better for England had Akmal and Afridi not both notched fifties, not that a nine-wicket win inside 38 overs isn't emphatic enough.

FOURTH ODI

Much like in Abu Dhabi, Pakistan's second showing in Dubai was much stronger than their first. Azhar Ali (58) and Asad Shafiq (65) put on 111 together for the second wicket to give the hosts the perfect platform, only for them to fall apart again, dismissed for 237 with Jade Dernbach - yes, him - taking 4-45.

Cook fell second ball for his only dud score of the series, but another century for Pietersen - 130 off 153 balls - almost single-handedly saw England over the line, with Craig Kieswetter (43) the only other batsman to score more than 17. KP fell in the penultimate over with the job not quite done, but big Tim Bresnan smashed a four first ball to get the two runs England needed.

THE FALLOUT

The Pietersen experiment at the top of the order was a hangover from the 2011 World Cup when it was trialled and ultimately cut short by a hernia injury. Despite its success in the 4-0 series win, it would be 18 months before it could be tried again as Pietersen retired from ODI cricket in May 2012 before being 're-integrated' in the side later that year.

Cook continued to captain the team towards the 2015 World Cup before being unceremoniously axed with just a month to go after a disastrous run of form, scoring only one half-century in his final 22 ODI innings. Only current captain Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler - who was out for a two-ball duck on debut in the fourth ODI - remain from that 2012 squad.

Finn took 13 wickets in 2012 - eight more than the next best England bowler - at an astonishing average of 10.30. He has not quite replicated such form since but is still a vital part of England's ODI attack when fit, which he sadly isn't for this series.

Live One-Day International Cricket

Watch the first ODI between Pakistan and England in Abu Dhabi on Sky Sports 2 HD from 10.30am on Wednesday, November 11. You can also watch without a contract on NOW TV.