Shadab ton stuns England as Pakistan reach tri-series final

Shadab Khan’s maiden century rescued Pakistan from a dire situation and took them to a stunning one-wicket victory over England in the one-day international (ODI) in Lahore on Sunday, booking the hosts’ spot in the final of the tri-series.

Defending a modest 242-run target, England were on the cusp of victory with the home team reduced to 154-9, but Shadab’s unbeaten 113 condemned Harry Brook’s side to a third defeat in five days in the series, which also involves Sri Lanka.

England, who failed to defend a 430-run target against Sri Lanka on Thursday, were left stunned as number 11 Haris Rauf cracked the winning boundary with 17 balls to spare, sparking huge celebrations in the Pakistan dug-out.

Haris, who scored an unbeaten seven, ably played his part in a match-winning 89-run partnership with Shadab for the last wicket.

Shadab, who cracked five sixes and 13 boundaries, was lucky to survive a leg-before decision off Gus Atkinson with 20 needed. But while trudging off distraught, he took a review which overturned the decision.

Restored to the crease, the 28-year-old guided Pakistan to victory and a spot in next Saturday’s final.

Pakistan had lost opener Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam for 10 each and Saim Ayub for six in a poor start before Saad Baig (32) and Salman Agha (26) briefly revived the innings. Match-winner Shadab then entered the fray in the 24th over with Pakistan on 103-6.

The Shaheen show: Defeat means England’s chances of reaching a place in the Oct.31 final hang in the balance as they need Pakistan to beat Sri Lanka on Tuesday and then win themselves against the island nation on Thursday.

Earlier, England’s 241 all out was aided by a century by opener Ben Duckett, who anchored the innings with 105.

Duckett’s knock and Sam Curran’s 42 during a 93-run fifth-wicket stand revived England from a precarious position of 19-3.

Atkinson contributed an unbeaten 36 at the bottom of the order.

For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi claimed 4-46, while Razaullah took 2-38 on his ODI debut as England were bowled out in 46.4 overs.

Duckett hit 10 fours and two sixes before falling to spinner Arafat Minhas, who finished with 2-26.

Opting to bowl first, Pakistan skipper Shaheen removed Tom Banton for four in the opening over -- his 150th ODI wicket.

The lanky left-armer is the 13th bowler from Pakistan to take 150 or more wickets.

In his next over, Shaheen got the prized wicket of Joe Root for five, caught cutting a short delivery.

England plunged into further trouble when Harry Brook -- who scored the fastest-ever ODI double century in his team’s shock defeat to Sri Lanka -- was run out for one.

Duckett’s fifth ODI hundred and Curran’s resolute batting briefly steadied England before Shaheen took two more wickets to end the innings.

Shaheen has become the quickest Pakistan fast bowler to scalp 150 wickets in the format, breaking the joint record of greats Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar. The 26-year-old achieved the milestone in his 80th ODI, while Younis and Akhtar had reached 150 wickets in 91 matches each.

Coming into the second match against England in the tri-series, Shaheen needed just one wicket to reach the mark, and he got there after dismissing in-form opener Banton in the first over. Banton, who had hit four consecutive fifty-plus scores in his last four innings, chipped a full-length ball to cover for Arafat to hold onto a simple catch.

Overall, Shaheen is the joint-fourth fastest player in the world to get to 150 wickets. Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane remains the quickest to the mark in the world, having reached 150 wickets in 73 ODIs, while Mitchell Starc (77) and Mushtaq are second and third, respectively.

The Pakistan seamer is now level with Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan and India’s Mohammed Shami, both of whom had also completed their 150 wickets in 80 ODIs.

Agha, Usman get Test recall for Pakistan’s two matches vs SL: Pakistan has recalled batter Salman Ali Agha and left-arm spinner Ali Usman for their two home Test matches against Sri Lanka in November.

Agha and Usman were among seven cricketers flown back home during a chaotic tour of England after Pakistan lost the second Test at Lord’s in August. England swept the series 3-0.

Agha has been scoring prolifically since his return to Pakistan and followed his triple century in a domestic first-class match with a century against Sri Lanka in the ongoing ODI tri-series.

Agencies