Pakistan win by one wicket!
It’s done! Haris Rauf pings Henry Crocombe down the ground for four and Pakistan complete the most incredible of comebacks!
The Gadaffi Stadium is absolute bedlam and has been for the last hour as Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf pull off an astonishing victory. Pakistan were 154 for 9 and needed 88 more.
It looked like it was all over, England certainly thought so. Shadab chipped away, getting a boundary off nearly every over and farming the strike with aplomb. Haris Rauf played his part too, blocking out when he needed to, ducking and weaving as England threw everything at him. He hit the winning runs and hared off with his arms raised.
They’ll talk about this game for a long time.
Key events
James Wallace
Cripes. I’m off for a lie down/stiff drink/maybe both.
What a game. What a knock from Shadab Khan. Thanks for your company, the OBO will return. Goodnight!
Winning captain Shaheen Shah Afridi:
I think I can’t say anything! Shadab and Haris, the way they finished the game… I’m really happy as a captain as well, starting with the bowling, the team effort was spot on. We thought we had a lot of variation in the team so that’s why we brought Shadab in. We need top-order runs, we’re struggling. I hope the next few games we’ll bring that energy. I think tonight we’ll be celebrating, tomorrow back to normal.”
Here’s Harry Brook at the post match presentation:
I don’t think it went wrong with the ball to be honest. I thought we did an exceptional job to restrict them to us nearly winning the game. We probably didn’t quite get enough runs on the board but the effort the boys put in with the ball and in the field was phenomenal. I couldn’t ask for any more.
Ben Duckett played an exceptional innings – his fifth ODI hundred which came at a good time. He played really well and that partnership that he and Sam Curran had put us in a decent position to kick on. Unfortunately we lost a few wickets in quick succession but the way that Gus Atkinson finished the innings off was awesome.
We have to hope Pakistan beat Sri Lanka but we have got to just focus on what we can do against Sri Lanka really and try to beat them by a big margin.”
A tough loss for England. Two hard to stomach defeats in a row in fact. The bowlers and Brook will get plenty of heat (is this The Traitors?) for the way the game went in the final hour but England’s batters left too many out there today too.
“You can’t beat a Tri team tournament” laughs Nasser Hussain on the tv coverage. I’m inclined to agree after witnessing that. There’s steam coming out of my ears and smoke out of my laptop keyboard.
England aren’t actually done for, they need Pakistan to beat Sri Lanka on Tuesday and then have to beat Sri Lanka (heavily) themselves on Thursday to have a chance of squeaking into Saturday’s final.
Of course it was a record stand!
Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf’s partnership of 89 is the highest for the tenth wicket in a successful chase in ODIs. The previous record of 64 was held by Deryck Murray and Andy Roberts against Pakistan in the 1975 World Cup.
England went to pieces under pressure after bowling brilliantly until Shadab arrived in the middle but you have to give all the credit to Shadab and Haris Rauf. The shot and decision making under pressure was remarkable.
Pakistan win by one wicket!
It’s done! Haris Rauf pings Henry Crocombe down the ground for four and Pakistan complete the most incredible of comebacks!
The Gadaffi Stadium is absolute bedlam and has been for the last hour as Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf pull off an astonishing victory. Pakistan were 154 for 9 and needed 88 more.
It looked like it was all over, England certainly thought so. Shadab chipped away, getting a boundary off nearly every over and farming the strike with aplomb. Haris Rauf played his part too, blocking out when he needed to, ducking and weaving as England threw everything at him. He hit the winning runs and hared off with his arms raised.
They’ll talk about this game for a long time.
47th over: Pakistan 239-9 (Khan 113, Rauf 3) This is like a living nightmare for England! Haris Rauf somehow gets a single off the first ball of the over, Harry Brook can’t get the run out scrambling in at mid off. Shadab on strike on 99… THERE’S HIS CENTURY! What a knock from Shadab Khan! He digs out a yorker from Atkinson and it goes through both of the fielders at short third and backward point who seem to leave it to each other. This is unbelievable.
Shadab is only the third man to score a hundred batting at number eight or lower in an ODI.
He’s not done yet either. He whips Atkinson for four more through the leg side and then hammers a SIX down the ground!
Pakistan need just three runs to pull off a remarkable victory.
46th over: Pakistan 224-9 (Khan 99, Rauf 2) Three dots at the start of Curran’s over but England look completely shellshocked, they have to get it together here. Shadab takes a single off the fourth ball to leave Rauf with two to face. Shot! Rauf drives compactly through the covers and it looks like they are going to come back for two runs but Rauf slips on his behind as he turns. Just a single in the end and Rauf has to do some stretches. It’s all going off! Shadab is now on strike for the last ball of the over and needs to get down the other end. Curran goes short, is it a wide? No! Haris Rauf loses his cool at the umpire/Will Jacks at mid on. He thought it should have been a wide. A marginal call.
Pakistan need 18 to win. 24 balls left. Haris Rauf will be on strike.
England think they have won, but they haven’t!
England win by 20 runs! Oh my days! What scenes in Lahore as Atkinson seemingly pins Shadab lbw with a low full toss… the players are shaking hands and Shadab has tears in his eyes as he thinks he is out for 97. He reviewed but had no faith at all… the DRS then shows a tiny spike and it is NOT OUT! Back they come for more. It ain’t over!
Shadab blocks out two balls as the crowd go absolutely bananas. England are reeling, they thought they had got the win in the can but it was snatched away by DRS! Shadab was walking off the field. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.
Phew. Shadab takes a single and Rauf survives the last ball from Atkinson. Pakistan need 20 runs to win from 30 balls.
45th over: Pakistan 222-9 (Khan 98, Rauf 1)
44th over: Pakistan 215-9 (Khan 91, Rauf 1) Shadab pulls Curran for four off the fourth ball of the over. Brook brings the field up to try and keep the danger man off strike for the next but leaves the boundary option over the top available. Dot ball. Straight to the fielder at cover. One ball to go… Shadab tips and runs to get a single and keep strike! It’s been a wonderfully composed innings and he’s nine short of a century, not that he’ll have even thought about that.
Pakistan need 27 runs. Gus Atkinson is indeed coming on to bowl. England have no answer to Shadab.
43rd over: Pakistan 210-9 (Khan 86, Rauf 1) Haris Rauf survives the end of the over again, Shadab took three runs off Jacks and left his partner just the one ball to see off. Brook is persisting with Curran, I think I’d be getting Atkinson back and telling him to spear them in at the stumps.
Pakistan need 32 runs.
42nd over: Pakistan 207-9 (Khan 83, Rauf 1) SIX! Curran goes short and Shadab flicks it over the fence at fine leg. Pure nonchalance. That’s the fifty partnership, Haris Rauf has one, he’s in the Jack Leach role out there. Brook throws his chewing gum in frustration and has a chat with Joe Root. Single taken off the fourth ball so Curran gets two at Rauf. In comes Root under the lid. Curran slips in a bouncer and Rauf calmly ducks it. Got to be yorker at the stumps? Nope, another short ball and Rauf survives. England starting to get in a tizz, there are plenty of teapot-armed meetings happening on the outfield.
Pakistan need 35 runs.
41st over: Pakistan 200-9 (Khan 76, Rauf 1) Shadab reverses, the ball takes the top edge but runs away for four! Love this. So do the crowd. Two more swept away by Shadab and he takes a single off the fifth ball to leave Haris Rauf one ball to survive. Brook brings the close catchers in but Rauf plays with soft hands and survives.
The partnership is 46, Pakistan need 42 more.
40th over: Pakistan 193-9 (Khan 69, Rauf 1) Harry Brook turns to Sam Curran. Shadab carves for four through the off side! England are being made to work here. A single leaves Rauf with two more balls to survive at the end of the over. He dabs down to deep third and wants a single but Shadab says no. Curran goes short, Rauf gets in behind it and defends well. The partnership is up to 39.
On we go! 49 runs needed. Will Jacks is coming back. Don’t go anywhere.
39th over: Pakistan 187-9 (Khan 64, Rauf 1) Dawson into his final over. Shadab sweeps a full toss for four and then follows up with free flowing drive over mid off for SIX! England starting to get a bit hot under the collar now, plenty for Harry Brook to think about. Shadab clips a single to leave Rauf with two balls to face. Brook calls for a helmet and puts in a short leg but Rauf blocks out safely.
Dawson finishes with 2-30 off his ten overs. Excellent.
Over to Shadab Khan, 55 runs needed.
38th over: Pakistan 176-9 (Khan 53, Rauf 1) Shot! Shadab goes to fifty with a pulverising pull for SIX into the crowd. If only a few other Pakistan batters had shown some similar intent. The target is now 66 runs away and Shadab Khan still believes.
37th over: Pakistan 165-9 (Khan 42, Rauf 1) Dawson completes his ninth over, Shadab plays a fast-handed reverse for four. Henry Crocombe is being called back by Brook, can he finish this off for England?
36th over: Pakistan 160-9 (Khan 37, Rauf 1) Shadab backs away and clubs Jacks for four through the off side. Both sides thinking of their NRR?
35th over: Pakistan 154-9 (Khan 31, Rauf 0) Liam Dawson whirls through a maiden to Shadab. Pakistan have really made a *Horlicks of this run chase.
*Other malty bedtime drinks are available. Ovaltine if you are listening, you’ve always been the one for me.
34th over: Pakistan 154-9 (Khan 31, Rauf 0) Jacks hared off in celebration after that wicket, it really was a delicious offie – drift and sharp spin, the off bail clipped off like a dandelion head. Jacks has been showing how versatile a white ball cricketer he is of late.
Haris Rauf is Pakistan’s last man. 88 runs still required, England’s Net Run Rate is going to get a shot in the arm tonight too.
WICKET! Razaullah b Jacks 8 (Pakistan 154-9)
Will Jacks cleans up Razaullah with a fizzing peach of an off break! England on the brink.
33rd over: Pakistan 152-8 (Khan 31, Razaullah 7) Dawson has been brilliant this evening, his seventh over is right on the money as per and only goes for two runs. Pakistan need 90 more, Harry Brook turns to Will Jacks, more spin for Razaullah to contend with.
32nd over: Pakistan 150-8 (Khan 30, Razaullah 6) Atkinson is given some tap! Shadab clubs him for a couple of fours into the leg side, tucks for two and then brings Razaullah on strike for the last two balls of the over. Razaullah has a look for one delivery and then smites the final ball way over midwicket for SIX. Of course he does. Decent way to get off the mark in ODI cricket.
31st over: Pakistan 131-8 (Khan 19, Razaullah 0) Razaullah removes his helmet after facing one delivery from Dawson, here we go? Not quite. Dawson dots him up for the rest of the over, textbook forward defence though.
30th over: Pakistan 131-8 (Khan 13, Razaullah 0) Here comes Razaullah. The last time we saw him he played an astonishing knock at Edgbaston in the Test series, Pakistan need him to do something equally remarkable here, they still need 111 and there’s only one man in the hutch.
WICKET! Shaheen Shah Afridi c Curran b Overton 4 (Pakistan 131-8)
Shaheen slams a couple of boundaries off Overton but the big Somerset man has the last laugh as he picks up his third wicket with the final ball of his mammoth ten over spell. He roars in delight and England are nearly home and hosed.
29th over: Pakistan 122-7 (Khan 13, Shah Afridi 0) Shaheen Shah Afridi arrives in the middle, Pakistan need him to wield the long handle to full effect if they are to get anywhere close. Ah, Dawson dots him up for his first three balls.
WICKET! Salman Agha c Curran b Dawson 26 (Pakistan 122-7)
Salman’s somewhat torturous innings comes to an end! He goes for the big shot to release the shackles but can’t clear Curran at long off. England closing in!
28th over: Pakistan 121-6 (Salman Agha 28, Khan 12) It is indeed Overton into his ninth on the spin and he almost gets another but can’t quite hold onto a sharp caught and bowled chance smashed back at him from Salman Agha. The big man looks crestfallen that he didn’t cling on but he’s more than done his job out there this evening.
27th over: Pakistan 114-6 (Salman Agha 26, Khan 5) This pair rebuilding for Pakistan, four singles off Dawson. He’s been an absolute metronome in Lahore this evening.
26th over: Pakistan 110-6 (Salman Agha 24, Khan 3) Overton into his eighth over on the bounce, he’ll probably bowl through here, no point taking him off and leaving him with a couple in the tank, he’s in the groove now and won’t want that knee to stiffen up.
25th over: Pakistan 108-6 (Salman Agha 23, Khan 2) It has been 80 balls since Pakistan last hit a boundary. We’re halfway through the overs now and England are on top, Pakistan need 134 more from the second 25 overs and have four wickets left in which to get them.
24th over: Pakistan 106-6 (Salman Agha 22, Khan 1) Shadab Khan joins Salman Agha. England have their noses in front but will be well aware that the dangerous Razaullah is still to come too. Three runs and the wicket off Overton, he has 2-25 from his seven overs.
WICKET! Arafat Minhas c Root b Overton 1 (Pakistan 103-6)
Gone! Brook places Root at leg slip and Minhas obliges straightaway with a fiddle off the hip from Overton!
23rd over: Pakistan 103-5 (Salman Agha 21, Minhas 1) Arafat Minhas is the new batter and Pakistan have plenty still to do. 140 more runs needed, half the wickets down and we’re nearly half way through the overs now too. A single off the inside edge sees Minhas off the mark first ball. England buzz around in the field, a win here is imperative if they are to make the final next weekend.
WICKET! Hasan Nawaz c Brook b Dawson 15 (Pakistan 102-5)
There is the breakthrough! It was coming, the dots were building and the big shot to release the pressure is sliced high by Nawaz. Harry Brook had an age to settle under the catch and England are well in this one.
22nd over: Pakistan 101-4 (Salman Agha 20, Nawaz 15) Pressure cooker beginning to hiss in Lahore, just two runs off Overton’s sixth over.
21st over: Pakistan 99-4 (Salman Agha 19, Nawaz 14) Dawson rattles through his first over and there’s only a single off it. Harry Brook also pulls off a brilliant diving stop at short cover. Dots building, something’s gotta give soon.
20th over: Pakistan 98-4 (Salman Agha 19, Nawaz 13) The holding pattern continues, just two singles off Overton as Pakistan chalk up 50 balls since their last boundary. Liam Dawson is being thrown the ball for the next over. Stick or twist?
19th over: Pakistan 96-4 (Salman Agha 18, Nawaz 12) Curran sends down one of his moon balls and it drops at Nawaz’s toes like a maple copter. Three singles follow before Curran convinces Brook to send a possible glove behind upstairs… NOT OUT. A clear gap and no murmur.
Murmur you say? Now that was a decent debut…
18th over: Pakistan 92-4 (Salman Agha 16, Nawaz 10) Chris Woakes is on the tv commentary and he thinks England have bowled very well. Tight lines and discipline, much more so than against Sri Lanka the other day in Pindi. Of course it is much easier when someone isn’t trying to slam you for six every single ball on a pristine batting surface. Speaking of which, Nawaz aims a big old yahoo at Overton but misses by a country mile. Just three off the over.
17th over: Pakistan 89-4 (Salman Agha 15, Nawaz 8) Just two singles off Curran’s third as both sides size each other up, this is a crucial period in the match.
“Afternoon James” Hello Guy Hornsby and thanks for your thoughtful message about the Jimmy Anderson situation. Nuance is of course alive and well here on the OBO. Quiet at the back.
“England have started well here, and Crocombe looked at home in an England shirt, so let’s hang onto a few miracles for now. I’m a Lancs member up here and I’m torn on Jimmy’s departure. I’m amazed he was still playing, and as good as his figures were, he barely bowled in second innings after April and was captain of a failing team. A rebuild was long overdue, and I’m happy with the management appointments of Kenyon and Farbrace. But if your attack is being rebuilt around a 45 year old, what does that say about your bowling outfit? It’s harsh and I’m sad I’ll not see him play again for us, but Jimmy would never walk off into the sunset himself and you’d assume there’d have been an offer and discussions in the background before the decision. It’s never black and white, but of course nuance is dead in cricket discourse, sadly.”
16th over: Pakistan 87-4 (Salman Agha 14, Nawaz 7) Jamie Overton is really good at these grunt overs, the Liam Plunkett role. Just four off his latest and he looks to be fine now after that injury scare.
15th over: Pakistan 83-4 (Salman Agha 12, Nawaz 5) Hasan Nawaz has a wild hack at Curran and is lucky that the ball ploops safe over the infield on the off side. 15 overs done and it is time for a slurp of something luminous with the game well and truly in the balance.
14th over: Pakistan 79-4 (Salman Agha 11, Nawaz 2) The scoring has slowed since Baig was bagged. Just three runs off Overton but the required run rate is still below fives – it’s all about wickets for England.
13th over: Pakistan 76-4 (Salman Agha 10, Nawaz 1) Tidy first over from Curran, just two runs off it. Overton is coming back, I really thought he was crooked and I think he did for a moment too as he threw the ball away in frustration, good to see he is ok to keep bowling.
12th over: Pakistan 74-4 (Salman Agha 9, Nawaz 0) England are just about keeping themselves in the contest, they need to keep taking wickets. Well durr. Harry Brook turns to Sam Curran, stand by your beds!
Source: www.theguardian.com
