Pakistan pulled off a remarkable one-wicket victory over England in the ODI tri-series in Lahore, with Shadab Khan producing an unbeaten century to guide his team to the final.
Chasing 242, Pakistan recovered from 154 for 9 as Shadab and Haris Rauf added a record 89 runs for the tenth wicket in a successful ODI run chase.
Shadab remained unbeaten on 113, while Rauf contributed a determined seven off 19 deliveries as Pakistan reached 243 for 9 with one ball remaining. The extraordinary comeback stunned England, who appeared certain to win after reducing Pakistan to nine wickets with the target still some distance away.
England had started the match strongly with the ball, putting Pakistan under pressure early in the chase. Jofra Archer and debutant Henry Crocombe made important breakthroughs, while Babar Azam was bowled by Gus Atkinson after briefly entertaining the crowd with a superb straight drive.
Pakistan’s middle order struggled to build partnerships as England tightened their grip on the contest. Jamie Overton dismissed Arafat Minhas, while Liam Dawson removed Salman Ali Agha after the batter attempted to break the pressure with an attacking shot. At 154 for 9, Pakistan looked destined for defeat.
However, Shadab refused to surrender. He began finding boundaries regularly, keeping the required run rate under control while rotating the strike to give Rauf opportunities to face the final deliveries of overs. Their partnership gradually transformed a seemingly lost cause into one of the most memorable finishes in Pakistan’s ODI history.
Shadab also survived a major scare when he was given out lbw against Gus Atkinson on 97. The Pakistan all-rounder reviewed the decision, and UltraEdge showed a faint inside edge, allowing him to continue his innings. He eventually brought up his maiden ODI century and continued to attack as the tension increased.
England made one final attempt to force a mistake by bringing the field up, hoping to expose Rauf to the strike. Shadab responded by launching Atkinson for six over mid-off, keeping Pakistan within reach of victory.
With Pakistan needing six runs from the final two deliveries, Rauf struck the ball back towards Crocombe. The England debutant could not hold on to the chance, and the ball raced away for four to seal an astonishing victory. Pakistan finished on 243 for 9, completing a successful chase that will be remembered for Shadab’s extraordinary resistance.
Earlier, England had posted 241 after being sent in to bat, with Ben Duckett scoring a superb 105. The left-hander anchored the innings after Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi tore through the top order, taking four wickets for 46 runs.
Afridi struck early, dismissing Tom Banton and Joe Root before England captain Harry Brook was run out. Jordan Cox then fell to Afridi as England slipped to 53 for 4, leaving the visitors in need of a substantial recovery.
Duckett and Sam Curran provided that response, adding 92 runs for the fifth wicket. Curran scored 42 before Afridi broke the partnership, while Duckett continued to build his innings and reached his century with a drive down the ground.
Pakistan’s bowlers eventually regained control. Arafat Minhas dismissed Duckett for 105 and then removed Overton, while Razaullah accounted for Dawson. England’s lower order managed to push the total to 241, with Atkinson contributing valuable runs late in the innings.
Despite their disciplined bowling performance for much of the chase, England could not finish the job. The defeat leaves them under significant pressure in the tri-series, while Pakistan have secured their place in the final following a remarkable comeback in Lahore.
