Pakistan continued to put England under pressure in the fourth match of the ODI tri-series as Babar Azam produced a sharp catch to dismiss Jordan Cox at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Haris Rauf provided the breakthrough with the ball, but Babar’s quick reflexes at slip ensured England lost another wicket during a disastrous start to their innings.
The dismissal came on the first delivery of the 10th over, leaving England four wickets down inside the powerplay and struggling to establish a foothold in the contest. After Shaheen Afridi had struck twice early, Rauf joined the wicket-taking action, with Babar completing an important catch to deepen England’s troubles.
Haris Rauf gets Jordan Cox with extra bounce
Rauf delivered a back-of-a-length ball that appeared to offer Cox an opportunity to guide it towards third man. The England batter attempted to use the pace and angle to steer the delivery away, but the shot did not produce the intended result.
The ball climbed more than Cox expected, catching the outside edge of his bat before travelling towards the slip region. Babar was positioned slightly wider than a conventional slip fielder and had to react quickly as the ball flew to his right.
Babar Azam’s alert fielding adds to England’s problems
Former Pakistan skipper Babar showed tremendous reflexes to complete the fine catch. It was particularly significant because Cox had attempted a similar type of shot despite the fielding arrangement making the option risky. With Babar positioned in the catching area, the England batter needed to be more careful when attempting to run the ball down towards third man.
The dismissal highlighted how Pakistan’s field placement and disciplined bowling were combining to create pressure. Rauf kept the delivery in an area that forced Cox to make a decision, while the extra bounce proved difficult for the batter to manage.
For Pakistan, the wicket was another encouraging moment in an impressive opening spell from the bowling unit. Afridi had already provided early breakthroughs, and Rauf’s success meant England were losing wickets before their middle order could settle.
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Old team is back England 54-⁴ #PAKvsENG pic.twitter.com/c29XE1LIC3
— مدثر عباس خان ♥️ (@Abbaswritess) October 25, 2026
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