10/25/2026 01:01:00
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10/25 12:59 CDT Shadab's epic ODI ton and last-wicket stand of 89 as Pakistan
stuns England in cricket tri-series
Shadab's epic ODI ton and last-wicket stand of 89 as Pakistan stuns England in
cricket tri-series
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) --- Shadab Khan hit an epic ODI century and England
suffered another extraordinary defeat as Pakistan snatched a one-wicket victory
on Sunday to secure its place in the cricket tri-series final.
Pakistan's chase looked doomed at 154-9 before a defiant 89-run, last-wicket
stand between Shadab and No. 11 Haris Rauf secured Pakistan a dazzling win.
Shadab smashed his first one-day ton to take Pakistan to 243-9 in 47.1 overs.
England, which scored 429 and still lost in its last game against Sri Lanka,
was earlier all out for 241 in 46.4 overs.
Playing his first game in the tournament, Shadab scored 113 not out off 96
balls and farmed most of the strike. Rauf (7 not out in 19 balls) hit the
winning boundary as Pakistan enjoyed its third successive win.
It was the biggest last-wicket partnership in a successful chase in ODIs.
Left-handed opener Ben Duckett scored 105 for England --- his fifth ODI century
and first against Pakistan--- after Shaheen Shah Afridi won his first toss in
the tournament and elected to field after successfully defending 300-plus
scores in the first two games.
It was England's third successive defeat in the tournament after losing to
Pakistan by 87 runs and seeing Sri Lanka pull off the second-highest successful
run chase in ODI history despite captain Harry Brook scoring a blistering
114-ball double century.
Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in their last league game on Tuesday after
beating the Sri Lankans by 37 runs in the opening game.
Sensational Shadab, resilient Rauf
Rauf joined Shadab at 154-9 in the 34th over and launched a partnership neither
side will quickly forget. While Shadab outsmarted England pace with his
brilliant batting, Rauf gave him ample support by sensibly not going for
expansive shots.
Shadab protected Rauf well by keeping the strike to himself and counterpunching
the bowlers by hitting boundaries early in the over.
Gus Atkinson won an lbw decision against Shadab when Pakistan needed 21 for
victory only to discover that the ball had tickled an inside edge. Shadab had
even started walking toward the dressing room before deciding to take the
review and he screamed in joy at the reprieve.
Shadab completed his century by playing a late cut off Atkinson for his 12th
boundary before hitting the fast bowler over long off for a six to reduce the
target to three runs off the final three overs.
Rauf drilled debutant fast bowler Henry Crocombe for a straight boundary to cap
a remarkable recovery for Pakistan.
Earlier, Jamie Overton (3-43) took two smart slip catches to remove both
struggling opening batters Fakhar Zaman (10) and Saim Ayub (6) and Babar Azam
will continue his search for a big innings after Atkinson pegged back his off
stump as Pakistan slumped to 31-3 inside the first seven overs.
Brook then turned to Overton soon after the batting power play and the fast
bowler responded immediately in his first over when 19-year-old Saad Baig (32)
cut straight to Will Jacks at point.
Left-arm spinner Liam Dawson (2-30) and Jacks (1-18) then bowled tidily and
raised England's hopes of their first win.
Duckett century lifts England
Duckett revived England from a precarious 52-4 with a 93-run stand with Sam
Curran, who made 42 off 52 balls.
Afridi picked up 4-46 and England lost four of the five top batters for single
digits. That included the run-out of Brook, who went for a second run but fell
short of his crease to an electrifying throw from debutant Razaullah.
England lost quick wickets and slipped to 201-9 after Afridi removed Curran in
his return spell when he holed out to fine leg off a mistimed pull. Razaullah
took 2-38, grabbing the wickets of Jacks and Dawson.
Duckett, who hit 10 fours and two sixes in his 111-ball knock, fell in the 37th
over when he top-edged a sweep to fine leg against left-arm spinner Arafat
Minhas before Atkinson (36 not out) shared a 40-run last wicket stand with
Crocombe.
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