England lose to Pakistan after improbable last-wicket stand
Pakistan beat England by one wicket in Lahore after Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf produced a remarkable last-wicket stand, overturning a match England had seemed likely to win. The defeat leaves England on the brink of elimination from the tri-series and raises concerns about their ability to handle pressure ahead of next year’s World Cup.
England were bowled out for 241, with Ben Duckett making 105, while Shaheen Shah Afridi took 4-46. England reduced Pakistan to 154-9, but Shadab finished unbeaten on 113, the highest ODI score by a number eight, as he and Rauf added an unbroken 89, a record for a winning last-wicket partnership. Shadab survived an lbw decision on 97 after a review found an inside edge, and Rauf hit the winning boundary with 17 balls remaining; England have lost all three of their matches.
In short
- Pakistan won by one wicket after a record last-wicket stand.
- Shadab Khan scored an unbeaten 113, a record for an ODI number eight.
- England are on the brink of leaving the tri-series.
Explained simply
One-day international cricket is a limited-overs format in which each team bats once, with a set number of deliveries to score runs. Pakistan and England are national sides competing in a tri-series, a tournament involving three teams, and both are preparing for the next Cricket World Cup.
A team’s last wicket is its final pair of batters, so a large partnership at that stage is unusual: once either batter is out, the innings ends. Ben Duckett and Shaheen Shah Afridi were among the key players for England and Pakistan, while Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf formed Pakistan’s final batting pair.
The result affects England’s chance of progressing in the tri-series and provides a test of how both teams handle pressure in close matches. ODI results can turn quickly because a few partnerships or wickets may change the likely outcome.