Shadab Khan's 113 not out saves Pakistan from England in Lahore

Pakistan secured its spot in the tri-nation series final with a one-wicket victory over England on Sunday at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, driven by an unbeaten 113 from Shadab Khan.

The hosts chased a target of 242 after England posted 241 all out in 46.4 overs. England's Ben Duckett scored 105 off 111 balls, but Shaheen Afridi dismissed Henry Crocombe for his fourth wicket, helping restrict the visitors to a below-par total. Pakistan's top order collapsed, with Jamie Overton and Liam Dawson removing Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, and Saad Baig cheaply to leave the hosts at 154-9.

With England in sight of their first win of the series, Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf formed the final partnership. Shadab hit 113 off 96 balls, while Rauf added 7 not out off 19. Their stand marked the highest last-wicket partnership in a successful run chase in One-Day International history.

Former Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Hafeez described the performance as an innings to remember, while Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews noted on social media that Shadab won it out of nowhere. Barbadian wicketkeeper-batsman Shai Hope called the match absolute cinema, and former West Indies player Daren Sammy termed it another thriller.

Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi stated the team brought Shadab in for variation and was pleased with how he and Rauf finished the game. Afridi acknowledged the team's struggles with top-order runs, saying they aim to bring more energy in upcoming matches.

English commentator Nasser Hussain praised the pair's change of intent, noting that Shadab decided to play his shots after an earlier cautious approach yielded no results. Retired English cricketer Chris Woakes agreed, calling a hundred not out at number eight pretty special.

Shadab Khan dedicated the win to his mother and wife on social media, crediting Haris Rauf for the team effort. The victory follows Sri Lanka's large defeat of England earlier in the week, which set the stage for the final.