Shadab Khan and Pakistan have done the unthinkable against England. There is a reason Pakistan are called cricket’s most unpredictable team. They can lose to weaker opponents, beat stronger sides and throw away matches from winning positions. But this time, they won a match that looked completely lost.
Chasing 242, Pakistan had collapsed to 154/9. England needed just one more wicket, while the hosts still needed 88 runs. On a difficult batting surface, there appeared to be almost no way back.
Then Shadab produced an extraordinary innings. With Haris Rauf at the other end, he carried Pakistan to a one-wicket victory through an unbeaten 89-run partnership. Pakistan finished on 243/9 in 47.1 overs, turning England’s seemingly certain win into a stunning defeat.
Shadab Khan takes charge when all hope seems lost
England’s bowlers had taken wickets regularly and put themselves firmly in control. By the time Pakistan lost their ninth wicket, the target that had initially looked achievable seemed a long way away.
But Shadab refused to let the chase end there. Batting at No. 8, he struck an unbeaten 113 off 96 balls, hitting 13 fours and five sixes. With no room for another mistake, he took responsibility for the scoring and kept Pakistan moving towards the target.
Rauf contributed only seven runs from 19 deliveries, but staying unbeaten was his crucial contribution. He kept his wicket intact while Shadab did most of the scoring. The rest of their partnership came through Shadab’s bat and extras.
That made the turnaround even more remarkable. Pakistan did not have two established batters sharing the pressure. They had one batter leading the chase and their last man trying to survive alongside him.
Two world records make the comeback even bigger
Shadab’s 113* became the highest individual score by a No. 8 batter in men’s ODI cricket. He surpassed the previous joint record of 100*, held by Ireland’s Simi Singh against South Africa in 2021 and Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz against India in 2022.
Shadab and Rauf also created the world record for the highest tenth-wicket partnership in a successful men’s ODI run chase. Their unbeaten 89-run stand surpassed the 64* added by West Indies’ Deryck Murray and Andy Roberts against Pakistan at the 1975 World Cup.
Duckett’s century had held England together
Earlier, England’s batting had also struggled on the surface. Ben Duckett carried the innings with 105 off 111 balls, including 10 fours and two sixes.
Sam Curran provided support with 42 from 52 deliveries, while Gus Atkinson contributed useful runs lower down the order. Their efforts helped England reach 241 before they were bowled out in 46.4 overs.
Shaheen Afridi led Pakistan’s bowling with 4/46. Razaullah and Arafat Minhas took two wickets each, keeping England within a total Pakistan could chase.
England’s bowlers then brought their team to the brink of victory. Jamie Overton took three wickets, while Gus Atkinson and Liam Dawson claimed two each. Yet the final wicket never came.
Pakistan have lost matches they should have won many times. This time, thanks to Shadab, they won a match they should have lost.
Scorecard Summary
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
| England | 241 all out in 46.4 overs |
| Pakistan | 243/9 in 47.1 overs |
| Result | Pakistan won by 1 wicket |
| Key batting performances | Runs |
|---|---|
| Shadab Khan | 113* off 96 balls |
| Ben Duckett | 105 off 111 balls |
| Sam Curran | 42 off 52 balls |
| Haris Rauf | 7* off 19 balls |
| Key bowling performances | Figures |
|---|---|
| Shaheen Afridi | 4/46 |
| Jamie Overton | 3/43 |
| Arafat Minhas | 2/26 |
| Liam Dawson | 2/30 |
| Razaullah | 2/38 |
| Gus Atkinson | 2/62 |
Match-winning partnership: Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf — 89* for the tenth wicket.
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