Shadab Khan produced one of the most extraordinary innings in recent ODI memory, striking an unbeaten century to guide Pakistan to a scarcely believable one-wicket victory over England at Gaddafi Stadium, securing their place in the Tri-Series final. With Pakistan reduced to 154 for 9 and the match seemingly over, Shadab and Haris Rauf put on an unbroken 89 runs for the tenth wicket, a record partnership in successful ODI run-chases, to overhaul England’s total of 241.
The win came just days after England had failed to defend 429 in the same series, and on this occasion they fumbled the defence of a modest target in even more dramatic fashion. Rauf finished unbeaten on 7 off 19 balls, but the effort was as close to a one-man show as the game allows, with Shadab doing the bulk of the scoring throughout the partnership.
England had appeared to have done enough. The full-house Gaddafi Stadium had largely emptied by the time the ninth wicket fell, with most supporters heading for the exits, convinced the match was over. What followed will live long in Pakistan cricket’s memory.
How did Shadab Khan pull off the impossible chase?
When Pakistan were set 242 for victory, the target looked manageable, but England’s bowlers dismantled the top order with precision. Gus Atkinson removed the struggling Fakhar Zaman early, and debutant Henry Crocombe marked his debut by dismissing Saim Ayub. Babar Azam walked out to a packed Gaddafi Stadium at No. 3 and greeted Atkinson with a regal straight drive for four, only for the pacer to respond by seaming one back through bat and pad to knock off stump.
After a brief cameo from Saad Baig, Salman Agha and Hasan Nawaz attempted to rebuild, but the latter holed out to Harry Brook off Liam Dawson. Jamie Overton then targeted Arafat Minhas around the wicket, with Joe Root stationed between short leg and short fine leg, and Minhas picked him out perfectly to leave Pakistan at 103 for 6. Overton and Dawson continued to squeeze the remaining recognised batters, and Salman eventually fell trying to slog Dawson down the ground, as Pakistan were staring down the barrel.
Shadab began hitting freely, seemingly resigned to a heavy defeat, but the boundaries kept coming. England were one delivery away from victory for 80 consecutive balls, yet that ball never arrived. The defining moment came with Shadab on 97, having just slog-swept Atkinson into the Imran Khan stand. He missed a straight full toss that struck his front pad, and he smashed the ground with his bat in fury before the umpire’s finger had even risen. Root and the England players gathered around him in commiseration. However, UltraEdge detected a faint inside edge, and Shadab survived. Pakistan still needed 21 more runs, but the mood had shifted entirely.
England brought the field up for the final ball of the 47th over with nine runs required, attempting to push Rauf back onto strike. Shadab responded by lofting Atkinson over mid-off for six.
On the first delivery of the 48th over, Crocombe bowled full and Rauf, fired up after an earlier flashpoint with Will Jacks that had required Root to intervene, slapped the ball back hard. Crocombe stuck out a hand but could not hold on, and the ball raced away to the fence to complete one of the most remarkable victories in Pakistan’s ODI history.
How did England’s innings set up the contest?
Pakistan, wearing pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Day, won their first toss of the series and chose to bowl. Shaheen Shah Afridi was immediately dangerous, dismissing the in-form Tom Banton with a tame scoop to short cover in the first over, a wicket that also brought up Afridi’s 150th ODI scalp.
Root fell in Afridi’s very next over, slicing to backward point where Saim Ayub held a sharp low catch. Brook was then run out clumsily, taking off for a risky second run against Razaullah’s strong arm and being caught well short of his crease. Jordan Cox edged Afridi to first slip shortly after, leaving England four down for 53 and in serious trouble.
Ben Duckett and Sam Curran steadied the innings with a composed fifth-wicket stand of 93. Afridi returned to break the partnership, targeting Curran with short-pitched deliveries until the all-rounder holed out. Duckett continued to resist and brought up his century with a drive down the ground, though Minhas, who had been held back until the 29th over, dismissed him the following over with a top edge looping to Salman.
Also Read: Shaheen Afridi becomes Pakistan’s fastest pacer to pick up 150 ODI wickets
Minhas also removed Overton quickly, while Razaullah sent Dawson packing. Atkinson contributed a gritty 40-run last-wicket stand that pushed England’s total to 241, a score that looked like it might prove decisive. In the end, it was Shadab and Rauf’s tenth-wicket record that rendered it insufficient. England, sitting at the bottom of the Tri-Series standings after three consecutive defeats, now face an extremely difficult path to reach the final.
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