Shadab’s unbeaten 113 sends Pakistan into tri-series final

Shadab Khan produced an unbeaten 113 to guide Pakistan to a dramatic one-wicket victory over England at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, securing the hosts’ place in the ODI tri-series final. Pakistan reached the 242-run target at 243 for nine in 47.1 overs after appearing destined for defeat during a severe middle-order collapse.

The chase had unravelled rapidly as Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub and Babar Azam departed within the opening seven overs. Saad Baig attempted to revive the innings with an aggressive 32 from 22 deliveries, but further wickets left Pakistan struggling at 103 for six and then 154 for nine, with 88 runs still required.

Shadab responded to the crisis with a carefully controlled counterattack. He initially focused on protecting his wicket before increasing the scoring rate through sweeps, drives and calculated boundary-hitting. His unbeaten innings came from 96 balls and included 13 fours and five sixes, marking his maiden century in one-day international cricket.

Haris Rauf provided crucial support at the other end as the pair assembled an unbroken 89-run partnership for the final wicket. Their stand surpassed the previous record of 64 for the highest tenth-wicket partnership in a successful ODI chase. Haris finished unbeaten on seven and struck the winning boundary to complete one of Pakistan’s most improbable run chases.

A decisive moment arrived when Shadab, batting on 97, was initially given out leg-before-wicket. A review detected an inside edge and overturned the decision, allowing him to return to the crease. He soon completed his hundred and continued attacking until Pakistan moved to the brink of victory.

England had earlier posted 241 after being dismissed in 46.4 overs. Ben Duckett held the innings together with 105 from 111 balls after the visitors slipped to 19 for three. Sam Curran contributed 42, while Gus Atkinson’s unbeaten 36 provided valuable late runs after Pakistan’s bowlers repeatedly disrupted England’s attempts to build partnerships.

Shaheen Shah Afridi led Pakistan’s bowling effort with four wickets for 46 runs. Arafat Minhas and debutant Razaullah claimed two wickets each, while Haris added another dismissal. Their collective effort prevented England from setting a larger target despite Duckett’s century and Atkinson’s late hitting.

The result confirmed Pakistan’s qualification for the October 31 final and delivered a major confidence boost after the top order’s failure. Shadab’s performance demonstrated the value of lower-order resilience, while the record partnership with Haris turned a near-certain defeat into a memorable victory. Pakistan will nevertheless need to address its batting collapses before the final, where another recovery of this scale cannot be treated as a dependable strategy.