Shadab Khan 113*: Pakistan beat England by one wicket to reach tri-series final

Pakistan are in the ODI tri-series final. Chasing 242 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday, 25 October, they were nine wickets down for 153 before Shadab Khan, unbeaten on 113, and No 11 Haris Rauf added an unbroken 89 to win by one wicket in the 48th over.

It is the result our preview said would book the final spot. Nobody expected it to come like this.

How Shadab Khan rescued the chase

The top order went cheaply. Gus Atkinson removed Fakhar Zaman for 10, debutant Henry Crocombe had Saim Ayub caught behind for 6 for his first international wicket, and Atkinson bowled Babar Azam for 10. Pakistan were 31 for 3 inside seven overs.

Saad Baig hit a quick 32 off 22 balls with seven fours, but Jamie Overton and Liam Dawson kept chipping away. Salman Ali Agha (26), Hasan Nawaz (15), Arafat Minhas, captain Shaheen Afridi and debutant Razaullah all fell, and with nine down Pakistan still needed 89, according to Sky Sports.

Shadab simply kept swinging. He reached his first ODI hundred off 92 balls, Sky Sports reported, and finished on 113 not out from 96 balls with 13 fours and five sixes, according to Geo Super. Rauf, who rarely bats for long, hit the winning four off Crocombe from the first ball of the 48th over.

The review that changed everything

With 21 still needed, Shadab was given out lbw on 97 to an Atkinson yorker. He reviewed, more in hope than belief, and replays showed a small spike as the ball brushed his bat before the pad. The decision was overturned.

On Sky Sports, former England batter Mark Butcher said Shadab “had no idea he’d hit that” and had been ready to walk off. One cricket news site published an England-win report at that moment; it was wrong, and the match went on for another three overs.

The last few overs had more drama too. Shadab and Rauf were angry when a short ball from Sam Curran was not called wide, and England missed a chance to run Rauf out just before the hundred came up.

Shaheen’s four wickets and Duckett’s 105

Earlier, Shaheen chose to bowl and his opening spell set the match up. He had Tom Banton and Joe Root out cheaply, and Brook was run out for 1 by a direct hit from Razaullah, leaving England 11 for 3.

Ben Duckett made 105 off 111 balls, his fifth ODI hundred, and put on 93 with Sam Curran (42), Geo Super reported. Arafat Minhas ended Duckett’s innings, Razaullah took two wickets on debut, and Shaheen finished with 4 for 46 as England were all out for 241 in 46.4 overs.

Pakistan played in pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Day, with pink stumps and England’s players and officials wearing pink ribbons, Dawn reported.

What’s next

Pakistan have now won all three of their matches. They play Sri Lanka in Lahore on Tuesday, 27 October, England meet Sri Lanka on 29 October, and the final is at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday, 31 October. England will almost certainly need to beat Sri Lanka to join them.