A one-wicket victory over England will be remembered for Shadab's magnificent maiden century—but it should be remembered as an indictment of a batting order that collapsed to 154 for 9 and needed a miracle to beat a modest total
By Asher Butt
There is a particular
danger in celebrating miracles. They obscure the failures that made them
necessary.
On Sunday evening at the
Gaddafi Stadium, Shadab Khan produced one of the greatest innings in the
history of Pakistani one-day cricket. His unbeaten 113 from 96 balls, batting
at number eight, dragged Pakistan from the abyss of 154 for 9 to a one-wicket victory
over England with 17 balls to spare. The
last-wicket partnership with Haris Rauf—89 runs from 80 balls—will be replayed
for years. The moment Shadab survived an lbw review via UltraEdge, when the
ball had struck his ankle and he had already begun walking off, will become
folklore.
But strip away the
romance, and a far less flattering picture emerges. Pakistan were chasing 242.
They were bowled out—almost—by an England attack that had been battered for 429
by Sri Lanka just days earlier. Their top order produced 58 runs between them.
Their middle order capitulated with barely a whimper. And they needed a number
eight to play the innings of his life to beat a side that had lost its first
two matches of the tournament.
This was not a great
victory. It was a great escape. And the difference matters.
The collapse that should
haunt Pakistan
Shaheen Shah Afridi's
decision to bowl first was vindicated by an excellent opening spell. England
were reduced to 19 for 3 inside five overs, with Tom Banton and Joe Root
falling to Shaheen and Harry Brook run out by a sharp piece of fielding from
debutant Razaullah. At 56 for 4 after
the powerplay, England were staring at a total well below 200.
Ben Duckett's 105 from 111
balls, supported by Sam Curran's 42, rescued the visitors. Their 93-run stand
for the fifth wicket gave England something to defend. But 241 was never going
to be enough on a surface that offered no demons. Pakistan's bowlers had done
their job. The batsmen simply had to do theirs.
Instead, they produced an
innings of staggering fragility. Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, and Babar Azam—the
three men expected to anchor the chase—managed 26 runs between them. Saad
Baig's 32 from 22 balls was the only top-order contribution of note. By the
time Salman Agha fell for 26, Pakistan were 122 for 7. When Razaullah was
bowled by Will Jacks, they were 154 for 9.
This was not a collapse
against a rampant bowling attack. England's bowlers were disciplined but hardly
unplayable. Jamie Overton finished with 3 for 43, Liam Dawson 2 for 30. These
are respectable figures, not devastating ones. Pakistan's batsmen gifted their
wickets away—poor shot selection, indecision, an inability to rotate strike
under pressure. The problems that have plagued this batting order for years
were laid bare once again.
Shadab's innings:
Brilliance and indictment
What Shadab did was
extraordinary. His 113 not out was the highest score by a Pakistan batsman
batting at number eight or below in ODI history. He marshalled the strike with the composure of
a man who had batted his entire life in the top order, farming the bowling
expertly to protect Haris Rauf, who faced just 19 balls for his unbeaten 7. He struck 13 fours and 5 sixes, playing with a
freedom that his teammates had conspicuously lacked.
But here is the
uncomfortable truth: Shadab should never have been in that position. A player
of his quality—a genuine all-rounder with the temperament for a fight—has spent
much of his career being shuffled up and down the order, never quite trusted
with a defined role. On Sunday, he showed what he is capable of when given
responsibility. The question that must now be asked is why it took a crisis of
this magnitude for him to be given that chance.
The same applies to the
team as a whole. This was a victory achieved through individual brilliance, not
systemic strength. Pakistan won because Shadab played an innings he may never
play again. That is not a sustainable model for success.
The selection questions
Shaheen's decision to bowl
first was correct. His own bowling—4 for 46—was excellent. The inclusion of
Razaullah, who took 2 for 38 on debut, was rewarded. Arafat Minhas, with 2 for
26, continued to impress.
But the batting order
remains a puzzle that nobody seems able to solve. Babar Azam, the team's
premier batsman, batted at number three and made 10. He was bowled by Gus
Atkinson, playing a shot that suggested a man short of form and confidence.
Fakhar Zaman, recalled to the side, made 10 from 18 balls. Saim Ayub, promoted
to open, made 6.
The insistence on
persisting with combinations that have repeatedly failed is not a strategy. It
is a habit. Pakistan's selectors and team management must confront the reality
that the current top order is not functioning. Whether that means promoting Shadab,
giving opportunities to younger batsmen, or rethinking the entire approach,
something must change.
England's familiar
failings
It would be remiss not to
note that England contributed to their own downfall. Having fought back through
Duckett and Curran, they allowed Pakistan's lower order to dictate terms in the
final overs. Overton and Atkinson, both capable bowlers, were unable to land
the knockout blow when Pakistan were nine down. The dropped chances, the missed
run-outs, the inability to close out a match from a position of dominance—these
are the hallmarks of a side low on confidence and short on ruthlessness.
England have now lost
three matches in this tri-series. Their final hopes hang by a thread. For a
team that arrived in Pakistan with ambitions of building momentum ahead of next
year's World Cup, this tour has been a chastening experience.
What this win means—and
what it doesn't
Pakistan will take the two
points. They will celebrate a victory that will be remembered for generations.
Shadab Khan will be hailed as a hero, and rightly so. His innings was a
masterpiece of nerve and skill.
But the celebrations
should not obscure the lessons. A team that needs a miracle to beat England's
second-string attack is not a team ready to challenge the world's best. A
batting order that collapses to 154 for 9 against disciplined but unspectacular
bowling is not a batting order that can be trusted in a World Cup.
Pakistan won this match
because one player refused to accept defeat. That is admirable. But cricket is
a team sport, and teams cannot rely on miracles. If Pakistan are to build on
this victory, they must address the frailties that made it necessary.
Shadab Khan saved Pakistan
on Sunday. He should not have to do it again.
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