Pakistan pulled off a stunning one-wicket victory over England in Lahore after Shadab Khan produced a career-defining unbeaten century and combined with Haris Rauf for a record-breaking 10th-wicket partnership. Chasing 242 for victory, Pakistan recovered from 154/9 to reach 243/9 in 47.1 overs, completing one of the most remarkable finishes in their ODI history.
Shadab scored 113 not out from 96 deliveries, while Rauf remained unbeaten on seven. Their unbroken stand of 89 runs became the highest 10th-wicket partnership in a successful men’s ODI run chase, surpassing the previous record of 64 set by West Indies batters Deryck Murray and Andy Roberts against Pakistan at the 1975 Cricket World Cup.
Pakistan’s chase appeared all but over when they slipped to 154/9 in the 34th over. England’s bowlers had repeatedly broken through the middle order, leaving Shadab with the responsibility of keeping the innings alive alongside No. 11 Haris Rauf.
Rather than surrendering to the pressure, Shadab took control of the chase. He managed the strike carefully, protected Rauf when necessary and attacked whenever England offered scoring opportunities.
The all-rounder’s innings included 13 fours and five sixes. His ability to combine calculated batting with aggressive stroke play kept Pakistan within reach of the target, even as the required runs mounted.
Rauf played a valuable supporting role, staying at the crease and helping Shadab build a partnership that transformed the match. The pair eventually guided Pakistan across the finish line, with Rauf striking the winning boundary.
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The 89-run partnership between Shadab and Rauf surpassed the previous highest 10th-wicket stand in a successful men’s ODI chase: the unbeaten 64-run partnership shared by West Indies’ Deryck Murray and Andy Roberts against Pakistan in the inaugural men’s Cricket World Cup in 1975.
The achievement was particularly remarkable because Pakistan had only one wicket remaining when the partnership began. What looked like a certain defeat became a historic victory as the pair outlasted England’s attack and completed the chase.
Shadab also set a new individual batting benchmark. His unbeaten 113 was the highest ODI score by a batter coming in at No. 8 or lower, surpassing the previous record of 100 not out, jointly held by Ireland’s Simi Singh and Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz. <Cite refs={[“turn391024search0″,”turn391024search1”]}/>
Earlier, England were bowled out for 241 in 46.4 overs after being asked to build a competitive total. Ben Duckett top-scored with 105, providing the foundation for England’s innings despite losing wickets at regular intervals.
Sam Curran contributed 42, and Gus Atkinson remained unbeaten on 36 to help England recover from a difficult position. However, Pakistan’s bowlers kept taking wickets and prevented the visitors from building a substantially larger total.
Shaheen Shah Afridi led Pakistan’s attack with figures of 4/46. Arafat Minhas and Razaullah took two wickets apiece, helping restrict England to a target that ultimately proved just within Pakistan’s reach.
Despite Duckett’s century and England’s strong position during the chase, the visitors could not finish the match after reducing Pakistan to nine wickets down.
The victory was Pakistan’s third consecutive win in the ODI tri-series and strengthened their position at the top of the standings. England, meanwhile, remained without a win in the competition at the time of the match.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi praised the team’s effort after the match, particularly the way Shadab and Rauf completed the chase under immense pressure.
For Shadab, the innings marked his maiden international century and a major personal milestone. More importantly, it delivered a victory that will be remembered for the composure and resilience shown by Pakistan’s final batting pair.
Shadab’s performance demonstrated how quickly an ODI match can change, even when a team is down to its last wicket. His 113 not out combined patience, smart strike rotation and timely aggression, while Rauf’s support ensured Pakistan retained a batter at the other end.
The result also highlighted the importance of finishing an innings strongly. England had placed themselves in an excellent position to win, but could not find the final breakthrough needed to close out the game.
Pakistan’s one-wicket victory and record-breaking 89-run last-wicket partnership will stand out as a landmark moment in men’s ODI cricket.

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