England vs Pakistan Match 4 Full Commentary

We are back for the run chase. The umpires are back out in the middle and so are the players of England. The two Pakistani openers, Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub, are also out there, in the changed pink jersey that the hosts are wearing today to raise awareness for Cancer. Gus Atkinson has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Let's play...

... The Run Chase ...

Duckett's ton headlines England's innings - Well, there's not much to write about England's batting, and after scoring 429 in the last game, their top-order crumbled to 52/4 inside the first 10 overs. However, one man stood tall, and that was Ben Duckett. He rebuilt England's innings alongside Sam Curran, mustering up 93 runs together. He then went on to score a fine century as the visitors started to crumble again. Curran's 42 and Gus Atkinson's late unbeaten cameo of 36 took England close to the 250-run mark. Right then, 242 is what Pakistan need to win and cement their place in the final, and given how the surface has played, it seems like a straightforward chase. However, with England looking to avoid a hat-trick of defeats in this tri-series, expect England's bowlers to come hard at the batters. Stay tuned as the exciting run chase is coming up in a bit.

Skipper leading from the front - It was Shaheen Afridi's day out in the middle with the ball as he finished with a four-fer. He was the one to draw first blood, picking up two wickets in the Powerplay, he was also the one to break a big stand when his side seemed to be on the back foot, and eventually, he was the one to close out the innings as well. Apart from Afridi, Razaullah came back well on his debut, ending up with a couple of wickets. Also, Arafat Minhas' late introduction was fruitful, as he too picked up a couple of huge wickets, which begs the question - why he wasn't he brought on to bowl a lot earlier, when England were on the back foot just after the first Powerplay? Shadab Khan bowled decently without picking up a wicket, whereas Haris Rauf was a tad expensive and the part-timers couldn't make much of an impact.

Pakistan with one foot in the final - Overall, a very solid outing for Shaheen Afridi and co. in the field, and they have kept England down to what looks like an under-par total on the board. Still, the hosts will feel it could have been an even lower total on the board, but they let things slip on a couple of occasions. As for England, their final batting pair has given them something to bowl at, but will it be enough? Not sure about that.

Last 5 overs to go. This partnership is frustrating the hosts now as it is worth 36 runs. Atkinson is playing a really crucial hand here.

Shaheen Afridi (7-0-33-3) is back on, replacing Arafat Minhas.

Shadab Khan (5-0-24-0) replaces Haris Rauf.

Signing off from a memorable evening - Who said ODI cricket is losing its charm? This was no run fest with boundaries served on a platter. It was a proper, old-school contest, the kind that would leave longtime fans feeling a touch nostalgic. Pakistan have marched into the final of this ODI tri-series with three wins from three, carrying plenty of confidence into the title clash after sneaking in through the back door in this one. England, on the other hand, are not entirely out of the race, but they now hang on by the thinnest of threads, with plenty of terms and conditions attached to the other results needing to fall their way, and of course, winning their last match against the Islanders is now non-negotiable. This defeat will sting, especially given how the final hour unfolded. Yet England's batters must also take their share of the blame for leaving too many runs out on the field today. Up next, Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka on Tuesday, 27th October, and the first ball is scheduled to be bowled at 8 am GMT. But our buildup begins well in advance. So mark your presence for that as well. Until then, it's goodbye from us. Take care, cheers!

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Any guesses? Well, it is not a tough one. Deservedly, Shadab Khan takes home the award for an innings of a lifetime - an unbeaten 113 off 96 balls, laced with 13 fours and 5 sixes.

Green glowed in pink - Pakistan, donning pink kits for a special cause, were razor-sharp with ball in hand and even sharper in the field, swallowing every chance that came their way. England were left reeling at 52 for 4, undone by a mix of loose strokes and a needless run out that sent Harry Brook packing. Ben Duckett, though, refused to let the innings fold. He kept England ticking at a healthy rate, even as wickets tumbled at the other end. Sam Curran and Will Jacks offered useful hands, but Pakistan refused to loosen their grip, striking at regular intervals. Duckett eventually brought up a well-crafted century, only to fall soon after. Had Atkinson not thrown his bat around for a rapid 36, England might well have been bundled out beneath 200. For Pakistan, it was a bowling effort of real control. Shaheen Afridi set the tone with four wickets, while Arafat Minhas kept batters guessing with his variations to claim two. Razaullah marked his ODI debut with a couple of scalps as well, capping a thoroughly professional display.

Never say never - As the cliched saying goes in this beautiful sport - it is not over until the final ball is bowled, and it fits in here just as perfectly. England's bowlers did their job admirably. But in a contest this tight, the 20 balls lost during their own innings proved to be the difference in the end. At 154/9, with just under a hundred still needed, Shadab Khan stood tall against the tide. No mug with the bat, as everyone knows, and when his team needed him most, he produced the innings of his life. England seemed to lose their way under pressure after bowling brilliantly until Shadab walked in, but full credit must go to Shadab and Haris Rauf. Their shot selection and decision-making in the heat of the moment were nothing short of remarkable. Shadab produced an outrageous century, but Haris Rauf, with just 7 to his name in a stand worth 89, played one of the most pivotal roles of all. He simply survived and kept giving the strike to Shadab. And in the end, it was Rauf who hit the winning runs to seal the deal.

Down on the mat - Pakistan found England in no mood to hand out freebies. Atkinson and debutant Crocombe kept landing the ball on a postage stamp, and the rewards arrived almost immediately. Babar, despite a couple of elegant drives, soon made his way back, and with the top three gone, Pakistan were wobbling at 31 for 3. Saad Baig tried to take the game on, racing to 32 laced with boundaries, but Overton found a way through him, twisting the knife that little bit further. It would be a disservice to the game not to give Overton his due. He bowled a marathon spell, battling through a troublesome right knee, yet kept hammering away at the batters. The rewards followed, with the all-rounder finishing with three wickets to his name. Dawson chipped in at the other end as well, dismissing Hasan Nawaz and Salman Agha to keep England in command of their defence.

Pakistan hop into the finale - What a turnaround this has been! Absolutely nobody saw it coming. The Pakistan players pour out of the dressing room, embracing and beaming as they surround Shadab Khan, congratulating him on a truly mighty effort. This surely has to be one of the best comebacks in ODI cricket. Take a moment for England. This must feel like a cruel case of deja vu. After failing to defend 429 against Sri Lanka, they once again saw a match slip through their fingers. Tonight, despite posting an underwhelming total on the board, they had the game firmly in control, yet somehow let it wriggle free. Another win turned into heartbreak. And they are almost knocked out of the final race in this ODI tri-series.

Pakistan need just 3 runs to win from 16 balls. Another heartbreak loading for England, but it is Rauf on strike now. Is there any other twist left in the game? Henry Crocombe is into the attack.

Absolute scenes in Lahore. Rauf is in the umpire's face, giving him a proper earful, before Root steps in to calm things down.

Oh, my goodness! Shadab is struggling. He has pulled his groin but he is ready to go.

Last 5 overs. This ain't over yet, folks. Pakistan need 20 runs from 30 balls. Sam Curran continues...

Is Shadab trapped in front? The celebrations have already begun in the English camp. Oh goodness me! The UltraEdge shows a big spike when the ball is next to the bat. Shadab lives to fight on.

Brook walks up to Atkinson to have a chat and calm his nerves a bit.