President and PM congratulate Pakistan team after one-wicket win over England
Shehbaz Sharif singled out Shadab Khan's century and his last-wicket stand with Haris Rauf, while Balochistan's chief minister also sent congratulations.
Pakistan beat England by one wicket in a tri-nation one-day international in Lahore, drawing congratulations from President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who credited a last-wicket partnership between Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf with turning the match.
Writing on X, the prime minister said he congratulated every member of the national team "from the bottom of my heart" on the win over England, and that every run, every wicket and every catch in the match had reflected the players' resolve, discipline and spirit of contest. He called Shadab Khan's century an extraordinary performance and said the stand between Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf for the final wicket had changed the course of the game.
Shehbaz Sharif said the excitement of the crowd in Lahore that night was in fact the voice of the whole nation, and that the players had filled the hearts of millions of Pakistanis with pride and happiness. He also praised Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi and his team for their efforts in strengthening Pakistan cricket and in making the country's grounds a host for top-level international cricket.
President Zardari, in a separate message, praised the team's performance in what he described as a nerve-shredding contest settled by one wicket. He congratulated Shadab Khan on scoring a century and on the decisive last-wicket partnership with Haris Rauf, saying the players had shown resolve, courage and excellent cricket to secure a memorable win. He congratulated Mohsin Naqvi as well, and praised the side's overall performance in the tri-nation series, citing professionalism and teamwork.
The chief minister of Balochistan also congratulated the national team on the one-wicket win, UrduPoint reported. The report as available to this newspaper did not carry his name or the text of his message.
Neither the prime minister's message nor the president's statement gave the match scorecard, and the reports available did not specify the ground in Lahore or the stage of the tri-nation series at which the match was played. Aaj News reported the fixture as part of a three-nation one-day series, with Pakistan's win coming against England in Lahore.
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