Key Takeaways
- Shadab Khan scores an unbeaten 113 to steer Pakistan to a one-wicket win over England.
- The 89-run partnership with Haris Rauf turns the match on its head.
- Pakistan secure their place in the ODI tri-series final.
Shadab Khan’s match-winning century on Sunday propelled Pakistan to a thrilling one-wicket victory over England in the fourth match of the One-day International tri-series at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Chasing 242, Pakistan were in dire straits at 154-9 before Shadab’s 113 not out off 96 balls, featuring 13 fours and five sixes, and an unbroken 89-run partnership with Haris Rauf.
The partnership was decisive, with Shadab supplying the bulk of the runs while Haris held his end, striking the boundary that sealed the win.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) celebrated the team’s resilience and Shadab’s performance, with the board hailing him as a superstar.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar praised the last-wicket stand, describing the game as a ‘thriller beyond imagination.’
Former Pakistan opener Ahmad Shahzad commended Shadab’s composure under pressure, noting his maiden international century and the team’s batting concerns.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) highlighted the significance of the innings, posting that Shadab’s performance was a ‘monumental hundred under pressure’ and that Pakistan had ‘pulled victory from the jaws of defeat.’
Cricket publication Wisden Cricket celebrated the achievement, describing Shadab’s knock as an innings to remember, noting it as the highest score by a No.8 in ODI history.
Journalist and former PCB director Umar Farooq Kalson drew a comparison with Abdul Razzaq’s 109 against South Africa in 2010, calling it one of the greatest ODI innings in a winning cause.
Fans and commentators repeatedly described the match as one of the great ODI heists, with particular praise for Shadab’s ability to remain composed as wickets fell around him.
Shadab’s survival of a review on 97 added another twist to an already extraordinary finish, contributing to the match’s dramatic conclusion.
THE MOST STAGGERING COMEBACK YOU WILL EVER SEE!
Pakistan Cricket Board, PCB
A thriller beyond imagination.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting
What a turnaround, a VICTORY!! Shadab Khan deserves credit for his maiden international century, showing composure and responsibility under pressure. Haris Rauf stood firm alongside him as the last wicket pair carried Pakistan over the line.
Ahmad Shahzad, Former Pakistan opener
